Behind the little door
by sakiko of soleana
Summary: Zim Vasquez is bored with his new home until he finds a secret door tht leads him into a world that's just like his own...but BETTER! but when this fantastical adventure turns dangerous, Zim must find a way back or be stuck forever in this other world R&R
1. Chapter 1 The Pink Palace

Hey everybody this is sakiko of soleana writing up a new story! Yeah alright!

So lately I've noticed that there are many fan fictions here that have been based on movies, and I found that only three are either complete or being frequently updated, the thing that I have also noticed is that the others are completely abandoned and or forgotten. So I decided why not finish them?

I was just thinking you know, I have the movies these stories are based on and some I have the actual books to, so I thought well why not go completely on that? So I'll probably put in a few stories in here. so you know that way I can do something when I have writers block, and finish writing some of my works such as 'Tools for problem solving' which so far I think is great and my newest one ' the Prodigy' which I still am working on.

So the one story that I am going to work on is a story that is based off of the novella and movie Coraline.

the book itself was written by one of my favorite authors Neil Gaiman, and the movie was directed by the same guy that directed 'the nightmare before Christmas' NOT TOM BURTON, he only produced the movie, he didn't direct it, so why they put Tim Burton's nightmare before Christmas is a total blank for me, the real guy that deserves all the real credit is the guy who actually directed the movie Henry Selick. So no offence to any Tim Burton fans but, I like him too but the thing is he does not deserve all the credit.

FYI to all the people that tell me it was Burton's idea... QUIT BOTHERING ME ON THAT! I DON'T CARE AND I AM STANDING BY MY OWN DAMN OPINION!

So I just really wanted to do this and well I thought why not make a Coraline Zim thing? So I thought about it and I think I will create maybe three coraline things.

One with Dib, one with Zim and one with Tak maybe, but right now I will try to see how the Zim one comes out and if it is successful then I will just continue it...and just leave Dib and Tak for something else entirely, like maybe another movie story or something, but right now I just need the reader's help on whether or not I should keep this story only focused on Zim or if it should be changed to Tak or Dib.

And you know this story is going to be a mixture of Coraline the book, the game (which I think could of been better, but the story was pretty good, you know I still have no idea how I managed to play the entire game) and the movie of course.

So review to me please and give me some form of positive criticism.

As for those of you who don't know Coraline or Invader Zim, I am not really going to bother explaining simple things like, what the hell the voot cruiser is or where the secret well originated from. If you are reading this you should already know what the hell I am talking about.

I need to improve as a writer, so if you have any advice. GIVE IT.

I am a freaking Chef and a Drafter, not an English 101 college professor, like I am supposed to know that I am not supposed to add a freaking comma in front of the word 'and'.

So in conclusion I would just like to remind you all that I do not own invader Zim or any of the Coraline stories.

Thank you very much, enjoy the story and well, please review.

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><p>"Fairy tales are more than true: not because they tell us that dragons exist, but because they tell us that dragons can be beaten." - G.K. Chesterton.<p>

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><p>Chapter one<p>

The Pink Palace.

Zim stared out the window, watching the scenery of trees, mountains and mud.

Zim didn't want to move... he actually liked Michigan, well except for the cold, but still Pontiac, Michigan is the place where his friends where.

To move to Ashland, Oregon was a little too much for him to handle, his new home was basically placed in the middle of nowhere!

And what kind of a name was Ashland?

Everything here looked so dull, grey and mute.

"DAMMIT PUR CAN YOU PLEASE STOP DRIVING LIKE A MANIAC!" shouted a voice.

Zim looked at his older brother who was stuck in a white neck brace.

"Would you calm down already Red? It's not like I'm going to crash, like a certain someone." said another voice, this one being more high-pitched.

"Shut up Pur." growled the other deeper and stricter voice.

"Oh hey look, the movers are here." said the higher pitched voice.

"WOAH!" squeaked Zim as the car suddenly beeped twice and made a sharp turn into a drive way, barely missing a collision with the moving truck and scaring some guy that was on the roof. Zim could hear the man curse at them in some random language.

"JEEZ! PUR YOU COULD HAVE- OH MY NECK!" complained the deeper voice.

Zim just stared at his older brothers, Merah and Viola, who are mostly known as Red and Purple due to their eye color and outfits.

Merah, who was the oldest, always wore the colors red and black. ALWAYAYS. A bright red T-shirt and some black skinny jeans and wristbands. His twin brother, Viola on the other hand, had an obsession with white and purple and would always be easily annoyed. Viola always wore a purple shirt with white skinny jeans, and white wrist bands.

"Ugh, come-on let's bring the stuff inside..." groaned Red, fixing his neck brace with a great deal of annoyance.

"Wow! This place is great!" said Purple clasping his hands together.

Zim came out of the car and looked up at the huge pink Victorian house...

"Pink Palace huh? doesn't really look like a palace." said Zim with a glum expression.

the Pink Palace was a huge house with an overgrown garden in the back with huge old trees...

Zim had come here before, and already knew some details on the house. He knew the entire thing wasn't going to be used by his older brothers, it was too big, instead it was split into three units, the basement belonged to some guy named Chewy Rodriguez, the one that cursed as he almost fell off the roof, and the basement which was occupied by some old lady and her crazy husband... what was their names? ah, yes, Mrs. Lucille Bitters and Mr. Slab Rankle, what kind of a name was slab anyways? but enough about that.

this place was old, and it belonged to some guy named Roger Membrane.

"come on Zim-roo time the bring the things in." grunted Red.

"I am not little." said Zim scrunching his face.

Zim hated the idea of staying with his brothers for six months. it was stupid! just because his mother had to work, his mother Miyuki, a successful business woman had to go to Paris, France and his father Spork had to go to London, England in order to sponsor a new growing company. Grr, stupid jobs.

"we're here! time to muscle up." said one of the movers.

Zim went inside and took his belongings into the house while the movers brought the furniture inside.

"Hello Zim!" said a voice coming from below.

"eh, hellos Mr. Rankle... how are you?" said Zim with a rather annoyed expression.

the old man was apparently walking his three perfectly black terriers, Hamish, Jock and Andrew.

"why don't you come by Zim, we can play a game of cards!" said Rankle with a smile.

"sure Mr. Rankle." said Zim bowing his head a little, as he brought his things inside, immediately Red and Purple plugged in their computers and started typing up their new garden catalogs, and articles. They were always busy and they rarely paid attention to Zim.

"Okay thank you," said Purple trying to close the main door where one of the movers apparently asked for a tip.

Zim shook his head as he heard the mover groan in frustration.

Purple had only given the mover one dollar as a tip.

Zim quickly went up the stairs and picked out his room, he liked it more than the other two rooms and was sure that his brothers would not mind him taking this one; it was a simple room with large windows and several shelves on the walls.

In the hallway there was a large mirror and Zim being who he is just had to look at his 'amazing' reflection.

Zim then frowned.

He hated being the little shorty that he was, with his black skinny jeans and his lose hot pink t-shirt. He hated wearing the stupid hot pink shirt his brother Red had gotten him, who in the right mind would get their brother a pink shirt? Not that it looked bad, Zim just hated the color.

In the distance, Zim could hear thunder... it was raining.

"oh great!" he squealed with sarcastic glee walking back to his new room, and placing a picture that he just found of his friends down on his new nightstand.

He huffed at how boring this place was, so grey and dull. Zim wanted a few colors; some Purple and maybe some pink, gold and greens...

as Zim walked downstairs to the kitchen in his brother Red typing away at his black DELL laptop.

"hey, Merah." said Zim as gently as he could.

"Zim, I am really, really busy right now, I need to finish this catalog ASAP" said Red pinching the spot where his nose should be.

"but you're always busy," said Zim

"yes Zim, I am, and right now I wish you were busy as well." said Red returning to his typing. "have you finished unpacking?" he asked.

Zim rolled his eyes and gave his older brother a frustrated look knowing that Red would answer his own question with a request.

"Look, you can also help by getting some of these boxes out of the way." said Red not really noticing that Zim didn't ask him if he could help with something else. He was just giving a request, just as Zim predicted.

"I almost tripped over one this morning." said Red typing away furiously at his laptop. "could you also move that box over there next to the others?" he asked.

"okay..." said Zim with a sigh.

Zim moved the boxes rather lazily toward a corner, where he knew his brothers would probably not harm themselves.

"moving boxes is boring." huffed Zim. "can I go outside now?" he asked Red with a hopeful look on his face. He did hate the rain, but he had glue and his new Purple rain coat his mother gave him, so it would be okay, and besides he wanted to explore the garden.

"NO. it's raining outside, rain creates mud and mud means cleaning and I don't have time for either. If you're not going to finish unpacking then why don't you explore the house? or go see your brother or something, but please stop bothering me right now!" said Red in a harsh tone rubbing his temples.

Zim looked a little hurt at his brother's actions... but it was okay...

"fine." he said plainly.

"IM BUSY ZIM! go check on your brother!" said Red not really noticing that Zim was already gone.

Zim walked into a smaller room that was located by the stairs and the heater. the thing he hated about Viola or Purple is that he had a tendency to be a pack rat. Right now he was typing on a really old 90's computer.

"hey Vi, whatcha doing?" asked Zim a little curious to see what he brother was typing.

He could clearly see that his brother tensed and was not pleased.

"Zim, I'm kind of busy right now." said Purple in an exasperated tone.

"busy with what?" asked Zim, who was bored and now annoyed with his brother. "Talk to me Pur, I'm so bored." he said with a sad tone, hoping it would work on his brother.

Purple sighed as he kept writing, "alright Zimmers, if you're that bored, why don't you explore our new home?"

Zim annoyed over the fact that he was asked to do the same thing twice, gently pulled his brothers antennae, kind of how like someone pulls on a strand of hair.

"OW! ZIM!" growled Purple. "Look, Zim maybe you could finish your unpacking now?" he said going back to his typing.

"but I'm tired of unpacking."said Zim plainly.

"if you're not going to unpack then why don't you help me out by stacking those two newspaper piles up for me?" Zim looked around the room and sighed. there weren't any newspapers, so Zim decided it was worth the risk.

"Purvi, can I go outside?" he asked.

"I am not a Perv! Did you ask your brother?" asked Purple, one of his antennas twitching.

"Yes." said Zim plainly raising his fists up.

"and... what did he say?" asked Purple.

"don't even think about it Zim Vasquez." He growled.

"well, there's your answer Zim." said Purple.

"hey look it stopped raining. can I go out now? I would like to meet our new neighbors." said Zim.

Purple growled and shook his head. "Fine, fine, fine! Go already." said Purple in a harsh tone, but Zim was already gone, and was going out through the kitchen door which led out to the garden.

"finally I can get out of this boring house." he mumbled.

a few nights ago Zim had played cards with the old couple downstairs, apparently they used to be great actors in their time and eventually got several odd jobs, such as being a teacher or a mall cop.

As he walked along he couldn't help but notice a nice old bush growing by the garden gates. He smiled as he took a good branch out, stripping it of leaves and such, and decided to use it as a dowsing rod due to the fact that Ms. Bitters had informed him that there was an old well nearby. He had to go see it and he had to explore his new back yard.

First was the garden, it was huge, probably as big as the house, maybe even bigger.

In the very back of the house was an old tennis court, but no-one played tennis and the fence around the court was rusty and had holes in it, and the net was old and rotting.

Then there was the rose bushes that were basically dead and had flies venturing around it, the rockery, which was full of rocks, the old barn, which just had a bunch of old hay and smelled of wet wood, the green house, which was grey, and looked dirty, with the glass all stained and some of it broken here and there... Then the fairy ring which had these spongy toad stools that would smell if someone stepped on them.

Ew. this entire place was horrible and old. not much of a palace at all.

Zim also explored for animals that might appear along the way, he found a small little brown hedgehog, a snake-skin, but no snake, and a rock that looked like a frog and a toad that looked like a rock.

But Zim still felt a little lonely... he was still a kid anyways, and he just wanted something or someone to play with...

After a while, Zim's loneliness turned to fear once he heard something move in the forest.

"Hello?" he called. "who's there?"

Zim then looked suspiciously at the forest and with all his force he threw a rock into its trees hoping it would scare the monster away...only it was the opposite, instead it made it angry, to the point where it let out a small growl. Zim not really expecting that gasped and ran for his life, going a little beyond the apple orchard.

Eventually it led him a little up the mountain. he could see his house from there... Zim sighed and looked around.

"MEOW!"

"CHEEZITS!" screamed Zim turning around only to see a black cat standing on a tree stump.

"you scared me half to death you mangy thing!" hissed Zim throwing his fists up. "I'm just looking for an old well... know it?" asked Zim.

The cat only nodded simply and squinted it's Red eyes.

"not talking huh?" said Zim shaking his head and raising his dowsing rod. "this better work." he mumbled. "magic dowser, magic dowser, show me...the well!"

in an instant Zim turned around to see two kids with binoculars on their faces and these black trench coats that hid the clothing that lay underneath, which of course scared the living snot out of him, especially now that the female was charging at him.

"get away from me you piece of filth! I am not going to be vampire food!" cried Zim attempting to hit the female with his dowsing rod, only she grabbed it and tripped Zim, making him fall into the mud.

"let me guess you're from Texas or Utah? some place dried- out and barren right?" asked the male kid who was walking up to Zim and his sister. He sure did have a strange hair cut; it looked almost like a scythe.

"I heard about water witching before, but it doesn't make sense. I mean it's just an ordinary branch." said the boy taking off his goggles or binoculars, whatever they are and smirked as he adjusted his glasses.

"it's a dowsing rod!" said Zim smacking the girl's hand and grabbing the dowsing rod.

"hey!" she complained removing her binoculars as well, she had pretty little Purple hair and seemingly closed eyes.

The boy then smacked Zim behind the head.

"stop it! I do not like being stalked or hit, not by psycho nerds or their cats!" said Zim pointing at the cat that was still standing on the tree stump.

"oh you mean MiMi? she's not our cat, she's feral, you know wild?" said the girl.

"Well, of course we did name her, and feed her and sometimes she'll come to our room and bring us little dead things." said the boy petting the cat behind her ears.

"Look I'm from Pontiac." said Zim, with a sigh of pure annoyance.

"Huh?" asked the two children.

"ugh, Michigan?" said Zim annoyed, "and if I'm a water witch then where's the secret well?" he asked stomping his foot, not really noticing the hollow thump.

"you stomp to hard and you'll fall in it you moron." said the female child, crossing her arms.

"OH!" Zim quickly jumped away from the spot he was standing on. not really noticing the fact that the well had a little ring of mushrooms growing around it.

the boy then started digging with his hands at the dirt and revealed wood underneath.

"see?" he said knocking the wood, which emanated a hollow thump. "It's supposed to be so deep. that if you fell to the bottom and looked up, you'd see a sky full of stars in the middle of the day." said the boy, wedging a stick into the wood and lifting it, to reveal the full entrance to the well and its location.

"huh." said Zim looking at the well and running his fingers on the wood as he knelt down into the mud.

"I'm surprised he let you move in, my father, he owns the pink palace. Won't rent to people with kids." said the boy.

"they're just my brothers, I'll only be here for a few months, and what do you mean about that no kids deal?" asked Zim with a huff.

"we're not supposed to talk about it." said the female child.

"I'm Dib by the way Dib Membrane." said Dib shaking Zim's hand.

"and I'm Gaz, Gaz Membrane." said Gaz waving.

"Gaz?" asked Zim quirking a brow.

"short for Gazlene, not my idea of course, what ya get saddled with?" asked Gaz.

"I wasn't saddled with anything. I am ZIM!" said Zim rather proudly.

"Zeem what?" asked Dib.

"ZIM! Zim Vasquez." corrected Zim annoyed at their mispronunciation.

"Hmm. it's not real scientific, but I heard an ordinary name like Vasquez can lead to ordinary expectations about a person, Zeem is just dumb." said Dib petting MiMi once again.

Zim then grumbled and scrunched his face.

"DIB, GAZLENE!" said a male distant voice.

"I think I heard someone calling you membranes." said Zim.

"what? I didn't hear anything." said Gaz.

"oh I definitely heard something no- brains." said Zim glaring at the two.

"DIB, GAZ! COME HOME!" said the voice again.

"Dad!" said Dib gesturing towards his sister that it was time to leave.

"well, nice to get to know a Michigan water witch." said Dib running off.

"but, I'd wear gloves next time Zeem," said Gaz with a wicked grin.

"why?" asked Zim glaring at the female.

"because that "dowsing rod" of yours? It's poison oak." said Gaz running off after her brother.

"EW!" Zim immediately dropped his dowsing rod and stepped back sticking out his tongue at the two Membrane children and looking down at the cat.

MiMi just shook her head and walked off...

Zim who stayed behind then looked at the well one last time and decided to drop a rock in it.

he counted to thirty before he could hear the satisfying 'plop' as the stone hit the water.

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><p>YAY first chapter! whoo!<p>

man I sure hope everyone caught the references made to the voice actors and creator of invader Zim.

I know Zim is a little OCC but don't worry, I'll do my best.

phew I am beat.

well read, and review people!

I LIVE OFF REVIEWS!

lol just kidding, but please review.


	2. Chapter 2 A Little Me

Zim is technically 16 in the IZ world, but here in my little story, he is thirteen. His PAK is detachable and he wears a good viarity of clothing.

Red and Purple in this story however have their titles displayed as nicknames. Reason, no one really knows their true names. So here I display their names as Merah, meaning red in Indoneasian and Viola, which means purple in Italian. So in the story I will use Red and Purple when writing, but Zim will say "Merah" or "Viola" within quotes, while he is talking.

Kind of how in other works, people put " ' oh, shut up Pur,' said Red. Purple looked back at his counterpart, ' you shut up,' said Purple." Pur being used in quotes and such when it is not Purple's actual name and such.

Whatever

Something i just wanted to add in there.

the authors notes I do not care about, so please people please stop bothering me on how I make mistakes on my authors notes, it's getting annoying.

ENJOY!

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><p>Chapter 2<p>

A Little Me.

Zim stared out the kitchen window, watching as the rain poured down from the heavens and onto the earth, every now and then scratching the little red rash on his right hand.

After meeting with the Membrane children the other day, the poison oak from the 'dousing rod' Zim used started taking affect.

'Stupid poison oak and stupid No-brains!' thought Zim as he looked outside, watching the rain get heavier with each passing second.

How horrible. Zim hated the rain, he hated the gloomy grey colors, the wispy fogs and the bitter cold the rain left behind.

However, the rains did give Zim a potential use.

Gardening.

When it rains, the leaves fall, the ground is moist, and the air becomes humid, perfect for planting fresh seeds into the earth.

Zim looked down at a little brown box that he had in his hands, inside there were little white packets filled with vegetable and flower seeds.

Zim smiled a little as he picked up a few of the packets and started organizing them neatly on the sill of the kitchen window.

Pepper, bleeding hearts, pumpkin, and then squash. All of them neatly in a row.

Zim had always wanted a garden for himself, so a few weeks before he moved in with his brothers, his mother decided to grant his little wish.

Miyuki bought the seeds for Zim, knowing that her eldest children, Merah and Viola, were interested in writing and studying about plants rather than planting them.

She figured her youngest child, Zim her adorable little smeet, should plant a nice garden for the twins while they worked. Besides, it would keep Zim entertained.

Zim sighed as he finished organizing his little packets of seeds, looking back at his brother, who was typing aggressively on the computer.

Zim suddenly felt a little uncomfortable, sure he was in the horrible black skinny jeans, but that wasn't the uncomfortable part. The fact that he was wearing his purple rain coat and new purple swampers, rain boots, indoors made him uncomfortable; it felt a little out of place.

"I almost fell down a well yesterday, Redsy." said Zim, trying to capture his brother's attention.

"Uh-huh" answered Red, not really paying attention.

'Red' as he preferred, was clearly uninterested in Zim's statement. Red looked tired, he was still in his sleeping clothes, a red wrinkled tank top and lose baggy black shorts that would reach his knees.

"I would've died." said Zim, one of his antennas twitching in annoyance.

"That's nice." said Red in an emotionless tone, adjusting his white neck brace as he typed.

"Hmm..." Zim walked away from the kitchen window and stared at his brother "So, can I go out? I think it's perfect weather for gardening." said Zim with a small pleading smile.

"No, Zim rain makes mud. Mud makes a mess" Said Red an in annoyed tone.

Zim gave his brother a frustrated look, "But, Merah, I want stuff _growing_ when my friends come to visit. Not to mention Mom and Dad, I want them to see the things I've grown! It's so you and Viola can write about the plants I'll be growing! Plants! Isn't that why you moved here? "said Zim placing his hands on the table, making it move.

Annoyed, Red looked up from his computer screen and stared at Zim.

"Something like that." he sighed, "but then we had the accident." said Red pointing at his neck brace.

"It wasn't my fault you hit that truck!" said Zim angrily, remembering the accident that took place in Michigan four days ago.

"I never said it was!" snapped Red annoyed.

"Sure sounds like it Mr. I like to text while driving." said Zim with a huff.

"Shut up, Zim!" said Red glaring at his little brother.

"I can't believe it. You and Viola get paid to write about plants, and you hate dirt. It's so stupid." said Zim, scratching his little rash again and crossing his arms.

"Zim, I don't have time for you right now, and you still have unpacking to do. Lots of unpacking!" said Red gripping the laptop screen emphasizing his anger.

"That sounds exiting!" said Zim sarcastically.

"Oh. Some kid left this on the front porch." said Red quickly handing Zim a package that was wrapped around in tape and newspaper.

Zim glared at his brother and took the package in his hands, reading a small note that was attached to it.

_Hey Vasquez, check out what we found in our father's trunk! Look familiar? _

_- Dib and Gaz Membrane_

Zim groaned angrily. He didn't like Dib or Gaz, why would they send him something?

Zim unfolded the dirty newspaper and found something unexpected.

A doll of himself, with a purple raincoat, tight black skinny jeans, purple swampers and magenta buttons for eyes.

a little Zim.

"A little me? That's weird." said Zim, picking up the doll.

"What are their names anyway?" asked Red, returning to his typing.

"Dib and Gaz. And I'm way too old for dolls." said Zim walking out of the kitchen, maybe his purple obsessed brother would let him go outside.

Zim pushed open the door to his brother 'Purple's' study. the little room that was located by the stairs and the heater.

"Hey, Viola. how's the writing going?" asked Zim.

'Purple' as he preferred to be called, was typing away, glaring at the black screen and green text that emitted from the monitor.

"Go away." said Purple rather cheerfully, who was still in his pajamas. Zim snickered, he wondered if Purple's friends knew about the purple ' Pete the Panda' pajamas his brothere wore. It was simple, purple night shirt with a cheerful panda picture in the front and white panda printed pants.

"I'm bored." said Zim leaning against the doorframe, looking at the little doll that was still in his hands.

"Learn how to tap-dance." said Purple, not turning around.

"Don't be stupid." said Zim hugging the doll he just received, "why don't you play with me?"

Purple wasn't paying attention, and continued typing. Zim, craving attention, waved his hand in front of Purples face.

"Pur!" said Zim.

"What is it, Zim and Zim...Doll?" asked Purple eyeing the strange little doll that hung limp from Zim's free hand. Rolling his eyes he turned back to his computer saying, "please, go do something, Zim I'm busy."

Zim sighed and scratched the rash on his hand, "fine, do you know where the garden tools are?" he asked.

"It's...It's pouring out there isn't it?" Asked Purple, now a little irritated at his little brother's presence.

"Just raining." said Zim with a scoff.

"Hmm. What'd the boss say?" asked Purple, "and tell me the truth this time."

"You know, the usual 'DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT GOING OUT ZIM VASQUEZ!' and stuff." said Zim with a deep shout, imitating his older brother, shaking his doll for emphasis.

"Well then you won't need the tools." said Purple, his antennae twitching again as Zim groaned in frustration.

Zim, who was still wanted to go outside, sat down on one of the boxes that sat on the floor of his brother's study. He looked down at the little Zim doll and started playing with it; making it dance and making it jump.

"Hello, little me, I am Zim! Do you want to be friends with me?" Zim asked the doll, a little of his loneliness disappearing. "Who? oh, that is my brother Viola, he likes the color purple!" The little doll did not respond, but Purple did.

"ARGH! You know, this house is over 150 years old." said Purple turning around to look at Zim, a small note pad and pen in his hands.

"So?" said Zim, quirking an invisible brow.

"So explore it! Go out and count all the doors and windows and write that down on...- List everything that's blue! Just LET ME WORK!" growled Purple shoving the notepad into Zim's chest and going back to his typing."Stupid little runt." he mumbled.

Zim, taking his raincoat off, decided to do what his brother ordered him to do. Explore the house.

So far, Zim had encountered the horrible grey carpet that lay in the hallway by the stairs, which he almost tripped over because it had a small dent, and every time Zim tried to fix it, two more would appear. Next was the Twin's bathroom that had twelve disgusting bugs lurking around the shower, gross. The other three rooms were at least tolerable, each one containing a few windows, a radiator and a fireplace.

After the rooms came Zim's little adventure with the rusty old water heater, which caused a few...Well a lot of problems for Purple, Zim had turned off the break by accident, thinking the switch was for the light.

"No, no, no, NO!" screamed Purple once the lights went out and his computer shut off, erasing all of his work.

Zim quickly flipped the switch and walked away from the heater, trying to act as innocent as possible.

Finally, he went to the living room, where he found a little surprise.

As Zim walked in, he saw that there was a small box labeled 'Merah's snow globes - living room' sitting patiently on the floor, smiling Zim opened the box and placed his little doll down on the coffee table that lay in the middle of the room, next to the antique couch and fireplace.

Zim then spotted his favorite snow globe, the one that his brother got from the 'Detroit Zoo,' it was the biggest one, with two blue bears standing underneath a beautiful fountain. Zim then placed the snow globe on a ledge above the fireplace, it looked safe enough for the snow globe, so Zim decided to put the other four there as well, each one in its order.

Michigan, Montreal, Detroit, New York, Miami. All of them neatly in a row.

Zim then looked up at the wall to see a picture of a blue boy in some old fashioned clothing, staring at the ice-cream that just fell from his cone. How sad, and how boring.

" One sad boring blue boy in a painfully boring painting. Four boring old windows and no more doors." Said Zim writing down his words. Zim sighed and then looked over his notes.

153 blue objects, 21 windows, 12 bugs, one water heater, and 13 doors.

" Done!" sighed Zim turning to the coffee table so he could get his little doll. Only it wasn't there.

"Huh?" Zim looked underneath the table and sighed, "alright little me, where are you hiding?" he asked.

Zim turned around and suddenly saw his doll peeking out from behind a family portrait that his family had taken when he was still a smeet. Miyuki, Spork, Merah, and Viola were all well dressed and smiling as Zim lay asleep in his mother's arms, peacefully sucking his thumb.

The portrait was leaning against the wall, but for some reason the portrait and the doll looked a little off, the portrait looked a little gloomy and there was a malignant look in the little button eyes of the doll, as if it were planning something nasty.

Cautious, Zim moved the portrait a little and picked up the little doll, finally noticing the little door that hid behind the portrait and behind the wallpaper.

The fourteenth door in the house.

"Huh? Hey! Merah! MERAH!" called Zim, exited about his new find.

"WHAT?" cried out Red from the kitchen.

"Where does this door go to?" asked Zim, tracing the little door with his fingers, it was old fashioned and small, but big enough for someone to crawl through.

"I'm really, really busy!" said Red.

Zim then remembered the book he read about a girl, what was it called? oh, yes! it was called 'Alice in Wonderland,' where people would drink potions to shrink and cakes to grow.

"I think it's locked!" said Zim, tracing the little key hole the door possessed.

What if behind the door was a wonderland?

The curiosity was killing him.

"PLEASE!" cried Zim, begging his brother to come.

Zim finally heard his brother groan and smiled satisfied. Red then came into the room with his face a little scrunched up, the well known look of frustration and annoyance, the older boy looked at the door and crossed his arms looking at his younger brother, who was sitting on the floor with a little doll laying lifeless next to him.

"Will you stop pestering me if I do this for you?" asked Red tapping his fingers against his elbow.

In response, Zim clasped his hands together and made puppy eyes at his brother, making a small, begging, whimpering noise.

"FINE!" growled Red.

Triumphant, Zim sat patiently in front of the door as his brother searched for the key to the door.

Red looked through an old drawer that was filled with little keys, one for the garden gates, duplicates, storage and so on, until he found a black, rusty, old fashioned key with a button at its end.

Red held it up and quirked an invisible a brow.

"Weird." he mumbled, taking a kitchen knife with him to the living room where Zim was waiting, scratching the little rash that was on his hand.

' This better be the right key.' thought Red, squatting before the door and cutting the wall paper, tracing the little door's frame.

Zim's eyes and smile grew wider as Red finished cutting, and placed the old key in the key hole, pushing the weak wall paper through the opening and turning it.

Red then sighed with relief when there was a satisfying click. With a grunt, Red pulled on the door frame opening it, what the door revealed disappointed Zim, all the door revealed was a complete wall of bricks and a little door knob that would open the door from the other side.

"Bricks?" asked Zim disappointed, " I don't get it!"

Red rolled his eyes and stood up with a sigh, "they must've closed this off when they divided up the house." said Red referring to the previous owners of the Pink Palace.

"When this house was in one piece, this door must have led somewhere, but now that it's divided it leads to the brick wall, I think the other side is the empty flat that is still out for rent." said Red heading back to the kitchen with the old key in his hand.

"You're kidding. And why is the door so small?" asked Zim, picking up his little look alike doll.

"We made a deal! ZIP IT!" said Red rather harshly, making a 'Zipper on mouth' motion by his lips with his fingers, so Zim would understand.

"You didn't lock it!" said Zim, chuckling once he heard Red exclaim in frustration as he threw the key back in the drawer.

"Why would I lock it! it leads to nowhere! stupid kid." grumbled Red a little too loudly.

Saddened, Zim placed a hand on the bricks , he really wanted his own little wonderland. A wonderland where he would play with the Mad Hatter and the March hair. Atleast they would be willing to play.

With a sigh, Zim closed the little door, grinning a little as the hinges squeaked.

* * *

><p>And there you have it! Phew!<p>

Review please!


	3. Chapter 3 Your Other Mother

Ladies and gentlemen, here I write a personal letter to the reason why I take so long to write.

Dear math, I am not a therapist.

Solve your own problems!

[signed] - Sakiko of soleana

Man I really hate college sometimes, ugh and the heat down here in sunny Florida isn't helping either.

Okay, enough of that.

ENJOY!

I do not Own Invader Zim or Coraline

* * *

><p>Chapter Three<p>

Your other mother.

Zim, who was now in his room lying on his bed, stared at the ceiling bored out of mind.

He was still in his horrible black skinny jeans and in his purple raincoat, which was rather useless, mainly because Zim was in the house, and his brothers won't let him go outside.

What good is having a raincoat if you can't go outside and use it?

Oh, that's right, rain makes mud, and mud makes a mess.

So what else can he do?

Just stay inside this boring old house and lie on his bed, look for pictures or figures that would form on the ceiling, imagine and play with his new toy, the little doll the Membrane children had sent him this morning.

Currently, Zim was imagining what would happen if the little door he found this morning in the living room, lead to the empty flat on the other side rather than the brick wall.

At least Zim would have an entire flat to himself, if that would be the case, which it's not, Zim would have had a new space to explore, to hide or to play in.

Then again, what if the door opened to a magical wonderland?

That would be crazy wouldn't it?

A door that led to a mad, crazy, wonderful world and it would all belong to the person that found it first. It would all belong to Zim and Zim alone.

How much fun would that be?

Zim, the boy who opened the door to the world of wonderland, where everyone was mad, where a cat could smile and disappear and where door mice and rabbits would wear waistcoats and trousers!

An entire world full of wonder and-

"ZIM! Come down stairs already! It's time for dinner!" called Red from the kitchen, interrupting Zim's train of thought.

Annoyed, Zim grunted and got off his bed, flinching as his bare feet touched the cold wooden floor.

"come on little me, time to eat some grossgusting food," said Zim, picking up his little doll, which oddly looked like a miniature version of himself, only with magneta buttons for eyes, left his room and trotted down the stairs.

Zim was really hungry and was hoping that his purple obsessed brother was making something edible rather than making some new weird recipe.

Zim hated his brother's recipes and had made a vow never to touch one.

"Zim!" called Red.

"I'm here," said Zim walking into the kitchen.

In the kitchen Zim could see his brothers working, Purple was working on dinner, stirring some unknown green substance in a pot in his 'Pete the Panda' pajamas and Red typing away on his laptop in his wrinkled up red tank top and black shorts.

"There you are, sit down, it's time to eat," said Red, typing away.

Zim was surprised; shouldn't his brothers eyes be out of focus now?

"If we are going to eat then you should put that thing away," said Zim, placing his little doll on the table and grabbing a few phone books and an extra foldable chair that was in a corner.

Rolling his eyes, Red placed the laptop on his lap and continued writing, as Zim stacked up the phone books on the now unfolded chair, and sat his little doll down on them, adjusting it so it won't topple over.

Once Zim was finished with his little doll, satisfied, he grabbed a new foldable chair for himself.

"Can you please set the table Red?" asked Purple, who was still stirring the unknown green substance in the pot.

Red, not paying attention, only continued to type on the laptop, his fingers quickly flying over the keys.

"I'll do it Pur, I don't think Merah is listening," said Zim opening a cabinet, and with a sigh grabbed the disposable paper plates, napkins, plastic forks, cups and plastic knives.

"That's nice Zim," said Purple, ignoring his little brother.

"Not like you're listening either, but oh well!" said Zim, setting the plates, cups and "silver ware" down on the table.

Sitting down, Zim looked over at the microwave that displayed the time.

It was eight-thirty pm.

His brothers had been working all day.

"Oh, come on Zim, mom called this morning. She says she misses her little smeet," said Purple.

Zim's answer was a scoff, "Zim is no smeet."

"Oh, come on Zim, smile! It's annoying to see you frown all the time," said Purple, who still hadn't heard Zim.

Zim, who was now irritated, growled and crossed his arms, "at least you listen, don't you little me?" he said looking over at his little doll.

"I know what will make you feel better," said Purple, a goofy grin spreading on his lips.

"Viola no," groaned Red, looking up finally from the laptop's screen.

"Nu," said Zim, grinning at his purple obsessed brother.

"Oh_, my twitchy-witchy boy I think you are so nice-"_sang Purple in an out of tune voice, as he grabbed some tongs and the pot, placing the icky green stuff on the white paper plates that were already set up on the table.

Zim gagged as Purple placed some of the unknown green substance on his plate; Zim grabbed his fork and started picking at it, just to see if it was alive.

"Viola!" growled Red, interrupting Purple's little song, "Viola I told you to get a lap top," he said, finally saving his work and logging off his laptop.

Purple in response slouched and glared at Red.

"They're giving them away now?" asked Purple with a sense of sarcastic surprise in his voice.

*DING*

"Casseroles ready!" chirped Purple, putting down the pot and tongs on the stove, he then put on some old blue oven mitts and opened the oven, revealing a bubbling casserole, ready to serve.

"Anyways," said Purple "my computer's fine, just a dang power outage from the storm."

Zim, who was still poking at the green substance on his plate gulped as he heard his brother's statement, and looked over at his doll placing his fingers on his lips, almost as if telling the doll to stay quiet about the heater incident that occurred that morning.

"I can't believe you didn't back up your files! Actually I can!" growled Red, closing his laptop and placing it gently underneath his seat.

Purple sighed and placed the casserole down on the table, turning to take off his oven mitts as he reached for a spatula.

"The spellchecker's gone screwy, too. Maybe I have a virus," said Purple.

"I think dinner might have a virus," said Zim looking at the casserole.

It looked like a mixture of jalapenos, olives, cheese, crackers and powdered donuts.

Ignoring the comment, Purple started serving the casserole and started to sing his little nonsense song to Zim.

Zim smiled at the out of tune song his brother Purple sang. Zim's father, Spork used to sing it to him when he was still a smeet.

"Oh, _my twitchy-witchy boy, I think you are so nice, I give you bowls of porridge and I give you bowls of ice-cream~" _sang Purple.

As soon as the casserole hit Zim's plate, he groaned in disgust and pushed his plate away.

"Why don't you ever cook, Merah?" asked Zim, placing his chin on the table, his antennae drooping a little.

Red pushed the plate back to Zim, "Zim, we've been through this before, your brother cooks, I clean and you stay out of the way!" Red sighed and placed his right hand up with his left hand over his chest, "I swear I will go food shopping once we finish the catalog. Try some of the chard, you need a vegetable."

Zim looked at the green stuff on his plate and picked at it with his fork once again.

"Looks like slime to me," said Zim dropping his fork.

"Well its slime or bed time fusspot. Now what's it going to be?" asked Purple sitting down to eat.

"Think they're trying to poison me?" Zim asked his doll, reaching over and nodding the dolls head.

With a sigh Zim lay back in his chair, hugging the doll to his chest. Only Zim, not really being careful, lost his balance and fell.

"OW!"

"Darn it! Zim, its late why don't you go to bed?" hissed Red.

"You're not even going to look down here to see if I'm okay?" asked Zim, who was now on his knees, rubbing a now newly formed bump on his head.

"You're young, now go to bed! You're so annoying!" shouted Red, glaring at Zim.

"Merah," scolded Purple, "Zim are you alright?"

"No I'm not alright! You're the one who's annoying! You never pay attention to me and all you do all day is write about plants you never even seen in your life! You don't even like them!" said Zim, getting up and glaring at his Red obsessed brother.

"SHUT UP!" shouted Red, raising his hand and smacking Zim across the face, causing the smaller sibling to fall hard on his knees.

"MERAH!" shouted Purple, getting up.

Red stared at his hand in shock, "Zim I- Zim I'm so-"

"YOU GUYS ARE THE WORST BROTHERS EVER! I WISH MOM WERE HERE INSTEAD OF YOU!" shouted Zim, getting up and running out of the kitchen.

"Zim WAIT!" called Red, his reply was a door slamming shut, and the sound of water running.

He was taking a shower.

Red sighed in frustration and put his face in his hands.

"Merah, why would you do that to him? It was an accident!" said Purple, "and here I was thinking you were the patient one! Why would you do that?"

"Just leave me alone and fetch me a bottle of Excedrin, please," said Red in a tired voice, "you always were the kinder one," he mumbled.

"You're fixing this," said Purple, placing a small green bottle on the table and walking towards the stairs.

Red sighed and shook his head, ashamed by his actions.

* * *

><p>Zim, who was already upstairs, took a quick thirty second shower and quickly locked himself in his room, ignoring Purple who just came up.<p>

"Zim!" called Purple, flinching as Zim's door slammed shut.

"Zim, come out, he didn't mean it!" said Purple knocking on Zim's door.

"YOU LIE! YOU LIIIIIIIE!" sobbed Zim on the other side, punching the door.

"Zim," Purple was at a loss, he was starting to lose his patience, and not wanting to hurt his brother any further, gave up and just listened to his brother sob on the other side of the door.

Eventually the series of sobs died down and silenced.

'Great, my brothers hate me even more, I am now a cry baby, I have a rash, bruises and a bump on my head,' thought Zim as he changed into his pajamas.

He liked his pajamas, they were a two set, a shirt and some pants that were green with yellow, red, purple and blue spots scattered here and there and the whole thing was made out of Egyptian cotton.

Zim liked his pajamas not only because of the color, but also because his father, Spork, got them for him.

Slowly he crawled into bed, his squeedly spooch growling, begging for food, '**_FEED ME_**!' it cried.

Ignoring his hunger Zim looked around the room.

It was so plain.

Grey walls, dull brown wooden floors, empty shelves, boxes scattered around the place, an open suitcase with Zim's clothes and an empty closet with some old wire hangers.

A bed with a small blue blanket and a white pillow, Gir, Zim's stuffed robot toy, which he always slept with, a boring old nightstand, with the picture of Zim's friends sitting comfortably on a plastic praying mantis, five leaky windows, a toy tank, a toy giraffe, a chest, a chair, some books that were on the chair.

Mr. Squid, a blue stuffed squid toy that had a big pink button for an eye, a plastic replica of a dinosaur's head, possible a T-rex, an empty turtle shell, and clothes pins that Zim made look like dragonflies, which simply hung from a string above Zim's bed.

The room also had a small lamp, which would make pictures of planets and stars on the walls when turned on and a radiator, which was fixed into the spot where the fireplace used to be.

Boring.

The room needed more color, organization and life.

Zim, already getting tired, placed his little doll on the chair with books and went underneath the covers of his bed, looking at the picture which lay on the plastic praying mantis.

Zim's antennae drooped as he looked at the picture.

It was a picture that Zim took when he was in Michigan, his friends, Skoodge, Ten and Tak were smiling and making funny faces while standing before a banner that read, 'Zim, goodbye! We'll miss you!'

"Don't forget about me guys… Okay?" said Zim scratching his little poison oak rash, which was caused by an unfortunate dowsing rod incident yesterday, it was getting worse.

Snuggling into the covers, Zim hugged his stuffed robot, little Gir and turned off the lights, leaving only the lamplight on.

"Goodnight, little me," said Zim with a small sigh, smiling at the little doll that sat still on the books that rested carelessly on a chair.

Finally he drifted off to sleep.

* * *

><p>That night, Zim dreamed up something strange, out of the ordinary and yet incredible.<p>

The door which lay dormant in the living room was opened, revealing the wall of bricks.

_…_

_..._

Out from a crack that lay in the middle of the wall of bricks, Zim could see a peach colored ribbon come out, and transform into shapes of mice, adorable little mice with black buttons for eyes, dancing around the air and singing.

Their voices, high and whispering and slightly whiney.

_We are small but we are many_

_We are many we are small_

_We were here before you rose _

_We will be here when you fall_

It made Zim feel uncomfortable.

What a strange little dream.

_*squeak*_

"Huh?" Zim's eyes shot open as soon as he heard the noise, his antennae twitching, trying to pick up the sound again.

_*squeak squeak*_

There it was again, that high pitched squeak!

Zim sat up on his bed looking around the room, eyes darting from place to place, trying to locate the source of the squeaking noise.

_*squeak!*_

Zim growled and looked underneath his bed, feeling a little dizzy now that he was upside down.

There!

_*squeak squeak*_

Underneath his bed was the strangest of things, a mouse that stood on proudly on its hind legs.

The mouse, finally noticing Zim, quickly ran, well, more like jumped, out the door to the hallway

Curious, Zim jumped off his bed and followed the small creature into the hall, ignoring the snoring coming out of the twin's room.

Then Zim noticed something unusual about the mouse.

"This is impossible, a mouse can't have buttons for eyes," panted Zim running after the mouse.

The little creature squeaked as Zim ran down the stairs, quickly jumping into the living room, its long tail twitching as it went.

"Oh no you don't!" chuckled Zim as he ran into the living room, looking around.

Zim then frowned, "where'd you go?" he asked.

The mouse then squeaked, almost as if it were calling Zim to see something, waited for Zim to spot him and then bolted behind the little door that was hidden behind the wall paper.

"I got you now!" said Zim as he dashed for the door, quickly opening it, expecting the brick wall to trap the mouse, only…

"Huh? WOW!" gasped Zim as he looked behind the little door.

He found his wonderland.

The mouse ran down a hall way and scurried through a door that opened up at the end.

The hall way was the most surprising thing.

The hallway composed of brilliant colors, blue, purple, gold, pink and green, seeming inviting, but something caught Zim's attention.

There was a strange smell.

It was a cold, musty smell coming through the hall and through the open doorway: It smelled like something very old, very dusty and very... slow.

Old.

* * *

><p>Zim, finally calling on to his bravery, got to his knees and crawled in through the door and onto the majestic hall way, but there was something strange about it, it seemed very familiar and very hostile.<p>

As Zim pushed open the door to the end of the hall way, he looked around in awe.

To his own confusion he found himself back in the house.

"What?"Growled Zim with a confused look on his face.

Looking around, Zim noticed something off, something different about the house.

The boring blue boy painting that sat above the fireplace was different.

Instead of having dropped his ice-cream, the boring blue boy was enjoying it, licking the content off its cone.

The boring blue boy was happy.

Zim's entire being froze as he stared at the picture.

After a second or two, Zim's antennae twitched, catching a faint sound and a new delicious smell, which caused his squeedlyspooch to growl hungrily.

"Mmmm. Something smells good!" said Zim, sniffing the air, his antennae twitching with anticipation as he followed the smell.

While following the smell, Zim heard the sound a little more clearly; it was a soft noise parading the air. The sound of a woman humming.

The strange part was, the sound was rather familiar, Zim couldn't place it, but it was familiar.

Looking around Zim saw something else that was rather out of the ordinary, the dining room that was next to the kitchen, it was set up with a nice table set, wooden chairs, candles and a white cloth.

Zim's antennas flattened now as he stared at something, in the corner of the dining room, there was a shelf displaying different types of spiders and beetles.

"This is creepy," he mumbled as the humming sound became louder.

As Zim entered the kitchen, he saw something that surprised and frightened him.

In the kitchen was a woman that, at the moment, was supposed to be in Paris for a business trip.

"Mom? What are you doing here? And why are you cooking in the middle of the night?" asked Zim, his voice cracking slightly due to the fact that his mother was in the house.

Zim's mother, Miyuki turned around and smiled a warm smile.

"You're just in time for supper dear," said Miyuki in a cheerful voice.

Zim then jumped back, his antennae flattening against his head.

Miyuki or what is supposed to be Miyuki, instead of having the lovely blue orbs Zim knew and loved, this Miyuki had perfect gleaming blue buttons for eyes.

"You're not my mother. My mother doesn't have bu- bu- bu-" Zim stammered at the last word.

The female who was posing as Miyuki, Zim's beloved mother, smiled and mimicked Zim's stammering.

"Bu-bu-bu-buttons? Hehe, Do you like them?" asked the female tapping one of the buttons with her finger.

"I'm your other mother silly, now go tell your other brothers that supper's ready," said the imposter, now known as the Other Mother.

The Other Mother smiled as she opened the oven, revealing a nice golden chicken as she put on some oven mitts.

Zim didn't move.

"Well go on, they're in Viola's study," said the Other Mother, gently urging Zim to go.

Zim then narrowed his eyes at the Other Mother and left, going to his brother's study.

As Zim opened the door, he saw two figures sitting on some kind of bench.

This room wasn't a study at all! It was a studio equipped with bright red and purple walls, violins, bases and other types of instruments, but the most noticeable instrument was the grand piano.

"Hello?" asked Zim cautiously.

"Hello, Zim!" said one of the figures as both of them turned around.

Zim jumped a little as he saw who the figures were.

They were his brothers, Red and Purple, Both of them having buttons for eyes, Red with red buttons, Purple with purple buttons.

Both of them were dressed in silky robes, Red in red of course and Purple in purple robes, both of them wearing matching monkey slippers, Red in orange, Purple in blue slippers.

The other brothers. The Other Red and the Other Purple.

"Hey Zimmy, you want to hear my new song?" asked the Other Purple, pointing towards the piano.

"My brother can't play piano," said Zim.

"Don't need to," said the Other Purple cheerfully.

"This piano plays him!" said the Other Red as two mechanical gloves came out of the piano, gracefully putting themselves on the Other Purples hands and making him play a tune.

"_making up a song about Zimmy-roo,_

_He's a peach he's a doll he's a pal of mine, _

_He's as cute as a button filled with awesomeness in the eyes of anyone who ever laid their eyes on Zimmy-rah~"_ sang the Other Purple, as the Other Red joined in the song.

"_When he comes around exploring us and mom will never ever make it boring our eyes will be on Zim-rah~"_sang the Other Red.

With that the song ended.

"I'm sorry, but she said to tell you that the food's ready," said Zim, feeling a little sad that the song ended.

"Mmm! Who's starving? Raise your hand," said the Other Purple, the mechanical hands immediately rose up, hitting the Other Purple's chin, causing the Other Red to chuckle, and causing Zim to laugh.

"Not funny piano," laughed the Other Purple.

Zim then stopped laughing and placed a hand on his lips. Eyes full of worry.

This was a really strange dream.

* * *

><p>Whooo~ finally.<p>

well tell me what you think you guys, i really hope this chapter comes out good.

REVIEW PLEASE!


	4. Chapter 4 Incredible Dream

hello everyone, forgive me if this has taken long, and if this chapter is crappy.

my computer is going heywire and i need to fix it.

enjoy the story and i will try to fix this chapter up as soon as i possibly can

* * *

><p>Chapter Four<p>

Incredible Dream

"Mmm! Who's starving? Raise your hand," said the Other Purple, the mechanical hands immediately rose up, hitting the Other Purple's chin, causing the Other Red to chuckle, and causing Zim to laugh.

"Not funny piano," laughed the Other Purple.

Zim then stopped laughing and placed a hand on his lips. Eyes full of worry.

This was a really strange dream.

"Boys? come to the diner table! its time to eat!" called out the Other Mother, her voice sounding a little faint.

The Other Brothers nodded towards each other and eventually led Zim to the dining room, which was already set up with the finest china plates, glasses and silverware, along with a castle made of fruits, sides and appetizers, there also seemed to be a train track running in between them.

Zim sat down at the end of the table while his Other Brothers sat elsewhere, on Zim's left. Both of them, sitting side by side and smiling identical smiles.

It was so creepy.

"Okay, here comes the center piece!" chirped the Other Mother in a cheery sing-song voice.

Coming out of the kitchen, the Other Mother had a huge, golden-brown roasted chicken.

The Other Mother gracefully placed the chicken between the green peas and the fried potatoes that took part in the fruit, sides and appetizer castle.

"A-hem, Viola dearest, do you mind saying grace?" asked the Other Mother smiling gently at the Other Purple as she sat down opposite of him and his brother

Zim stared at her, she looked so much like his mother Miyuki, if only she didn't have those buttons on her eyes maybe she would be less creepy, not to mention Zim would know what she was looking at.

The Other Purple cleared his throat and brought his hands up.

"We give our thanks and ask to bless our mothers golden... chicken breast," before he could finish, he was already laughing along with the Other Red.

The Other Mother only smirked and waved the Other Purple off, as if saying "_Oh, stop it."_

Zim smiled nervously at the joke and picked out a drumstick from the golden chicken. Cautious he sniffed at it, the chicken smelled good, it smelled...real almost.

Still cautious, Zim took a small bite, in an instant his eyes closed and he smiled.

"Mmm! This chicken is good!" exclaimed Zim as he shoveled more food into his mouth, chewed enthusiastically and swallowed, satisfying his aching squeedly-spooch. It tasted wonderful.

It was the best chicken that Zim had ever eaten. His mother, Miyuki, sometimes made chicken, but it was always out of packets or frozen, and was very dry and it never tasted of anything. when zim's brother, Purple cooked chicken, he bought real chicken, the one that wasn't cut or precooked, but he would always do strange things to it, like stewing it in wine, or stuffing it with prunes, or baking it in a pastry, and Zim would always, and forever refuse to touch it on principle.

it could be poisonous.

"Hungry, aren't you?"Asked the Other Mother, smiling and watching Zim eat eagerly.

Zim nodded eagerly at his other mother barely noticing that, despite the fact that she had food on her plate, she never touched it, and that she wasn't eating anything.

Zim looked at the Other Brothers; they were eating eagerly, enjoying the food.

why wasn't the Other Mother enjoying it?

"Do you have any gravy?" asked Zim, shoveling some fried potatoes into his mouth.

"Well of course, why, here comes the gravy train," laughed the Other Mother.

"Choo, choo!" she laughed, lifting a fist in the air and pumping it, almost as she was sounding the train's horn.

The gravy train then appeared out of nowhere from the apitezer and sides castle, chugging along and with a small blow of its whistle, stopped in front of Zim and poured gravy on his potatoes using a small mechanical arm.

"Huh," exclaimed Zim, interested in the little train.

"Another roll? Sweet peas? Corn on the cob?" asked The Other Mother, encouraging Zim to eat.

Zim then took some more chicken and shoveled more food in his mouth.

"I'm real thirsty," said Zim, with a small satisfied smile on his face.

"Of course, any requests?"Asked the Other Mother with a smile, clapping her hands twice. As she did the small chandelier that hung on the ceiling started to lower itself, revealing a set of different milk shakes and drinks instead of lights.

"Mango milkshake?" suggested Zim, his antennae waving around in curiosity.

The Other Mother smiled and nodded at the Other Red.

The Other Red smiled and stopped the chandelier, pulling on a little lever and letting an orange-ish white liquid fall into an empty glass.

"Here ya' go," said The Other Red, lovingly petting Zim's antennae and serving Zim his drink.

Zim enjoyed the loving gesture as he drank the milk shake. It was incredibly delicious.

Licking His lips Zim sighed in satisfaction as the Other Purple picked up his plate and the Other Mother Placed a large chocolate birthday cake in front of him.

Zim stopped enjoying the Other Red's love and stared at the cake.

As if by magic, the candles sit up by themselves in white icing words started to appear in perfect cursive writing.

'WELCOME HOME'

Zim stared at the cake, his eyes wide. He then looked over at the Other Mother and raised an invisible brow in question.

"Home?" he asked.

"We've been waiting for you, Zim." said the Other Mother, smiling a wide smile.

"We've been waiting for you a long time," said the Other Purple, placing a hand on the Other Mothers shoulder.

"For me?" asked Zim, pointing to himself, his antennae twitching again.

"Yep. Wasn't the same without you, kiddo," said The Other Purple.

Zim only stared at the Other Mother, shifting uncomfortably under her gaze.

"We knew that you'd arrive one day, and then we could be a proper family. Would you like me to cut you a piece of cake?" asked the Other Mother.

"I didn't know I had another mother," said Zim cautiously.

"Of course you do. Everyone does," said the Other Mother as if it was an obvious fact, her blue button eyes gleaming.

"Really?" asked Zim rather quietly. He didn't like the buttons at all. This may be wonderland, but it was still dangerous if there was such a thing as a red queen or even a bandersnach.

"Uh-huh. and as soon as your done eating, I thought we'd play a game," said the Other Mother as her fingers started drumming against the table, almost impatiently as if they were waiting for something.

"You mean, like hide- and - seek?" asked Zim, feeling nervous.

"Perfect. Hide and seek in the rain!" said the Other Mother with a smile.

"What rain?" asked Zim with a small frown.

'Why rain?' He wondered, he didn't even like the rain that much.

Zim's train of thought was suddenly interrupted when there was a sudden flash of lighting in the sky, then a very loud thunderclap.

Zim yelped and looked out the window, catching a glimpse of the lightning and rain. He could have sworn the lighting looked like a hand.

"Huh," Zim gasped, snuggling into the Other Red, trying to find a little comfort.

"What about the mud?" asked Zim, " Rain makes mud, mud makes a mess," he quoted.

"We love mud here," said The Other Purple.

"Mud facials mud baths mud pies, it's great for poison oak," said the Other Mother, grabbing Zim's hand, revealing the poison oak rash he got from the other day.

"How'd you know I-" Zim pulled his hand away from the Other Mother and stopped snuggling into the Other Red for comfort. This dream was starting to get a little too creepy and a little too weird.

"I... I'd love to play, but I better get home to my other brothers," said Zim standing up.

"But we're your other brothers," said the Other Purple with a soft smile, pointing at himself and at the Other Red, who was silent in the whole time.

"I mean my other, other brothers, Merah and Viola, number one? Red and Purple?" said Zim backing up a little, only to gasp in surprise as he bumped into the Other Mother.

When did she get there?

"I think I should get to bed," said Zim, heading for the living room.

"Of course, sweet heart. It's all made up," said the Other Mother sweetly, taking Zim's hand and leading him up the stairs.

"But..." Zim protested.

"Come along, sleepy head," urged the Other Red, finally speaking up.

Zim reluctantly let his Other Mother lead him to his "room."

* * *

><p>Smiling, the Other Mother opened the door to Zim's room and let the small child look inside.<p>

Zim then gasped, his magenta eyes opened wide. This was turning out to be an interesting dream.

"Wow," said Zim looking around his "room."

It was different from his bedroom at home. For a start it was painted in an off-putting shade of green and peculiar shades of pink and purple.

Zim decided that he wouldn't want to have to sleep in there, but that the color scheme was an awful lot more interesting than his own bedroom. There were all sorts of remarkable things in there he'd never seen before.

A lovely armuar, antique chairs, the bed had magneta covers and a large fluffy white pillow and on the floor lay a lovely purple rug.

The little dragonflies that Zim had were now fluttering around the room like startled sparrows, Zim's books were now magical, with pictures that writhed and crawled and shimmered, the little dinosaur skull he had skull he had was chattering its teeth and had a body made out of a turtle shell and clothes pins for feet, Then there was the planetary chandelier, the fireplace and finally.

The toys.

There was a whole toy box filled with them, some of them were molded together, for example the tank and the giraffe, and some of them moved or even spoke.

Zim laughed as he looked around.

"Hello Zim, hello, hello, hello, hello!"Said the dragonflies as they flew past.

Zim smiled and waved at the dragonflies.

"Wow!" breathed Zim, looking back at his Other Mother and Other Brothers, they were all smiling as Zim looked around his "room."

"What's shaking baby?" asked a certain toy.

"MR. SQUID!" cried Zim happily, a wide smile spreading on his features, "hello!" he said politely.

"Hey... how's it going loper?" said another voice.

Zim's antennae twitched, he knew that voice.

Turning around to look at his bed, he saw the picture that sat on his little night table move. The picture of his friends was moving around. Tak was smiling, Tenn was giggling and Skoodge was waving.

"Where's your swampers and chook?" asked Skoodge laughing.

"Cripes almighty! How are my best trolls?" cried Zim as he jumped on the bed and picked up the moving picture, "this is totally like a Skype chat!" he exclaimed.

Zim laughed and hugged the picture tightly to his chest, "I can't wait till summer, your both coming right?" He asked looking at the picture, his eyes wide.

"We're already here, Zim" said Tenn.

"Gone to Oregon?" asked Tak punching Skoodge lightly on the shoulder. Skoodge's response was a small shove.

Zim laughed. This was truly a magical wonderland.

"MASTAH!" said a shrill voice.

Zim stopped laughing and turned around to see a small grey robot waving almost frantically at him.

"GIR!" squealed Zim. Gir then pounced on the small irken and enveloped him in a hug.

"I LOVE YOU!" squealed the robot, squeezing Zim's squeedly spooch a little too much.

"AGH! GIR! GET OFF!" pleaded Zim.

The robots cyan eyes suddenly turned red, and saluted, stepping away from its master and then happily giggling to itself.

it was obviously an insane servant.

Zim laughed in amazement. This dream was incredible. Zim couldn't believe it.

"Ah-hem."

Zim turned around to see the Other Mother with a small jar of mud. She opened it and smiled gently at Zim.

"Oh the mud," Said Zim rather nervously.

The Other Mother then helt Zim's hand and applied the sticky, wet substance on his hand.

As soon as she did Zim suddenly felt sleepy.

With a yawn Zim fell on the mattress clutching the picture of his friends and snuggling into Gir.

The little robot giggled uncontrolably.

"shhhhh," said the Other Purple, placing a finger to his lips.

With a small smile the Other Mother pulled the covers and gently tucked Zim in.

The Other Red stroked Zim's bruised cheek, while gently moving Gir so the Other Mother could see Zim's sleeping face.

"See you soon," sang the Other Mother along with the Other Purple and the Other Red as Zim's dream suddenly started to fade.

That morning Zim opened his eyes and yawned stretching. He looked up to see the dragonflies hanging still on the strings above his bed. Zim then looked down at his stuffed robot toy.

Gir.

Zim hugged it lovingly and set it down next to the picture of his friends.

Zim then noticed the little doll that sat quietly on the chair with books.

That doll looked like a miniature replica of Zim. It was creepy.

Zim picked the little doll up, looking into its magenta buttons. He felt like the doll had a small connection to the dreams for some reason.

Was the dram real? Was there such a thing as a wonderland behind the little door?

Zim quirked a hairless brow and scratched the palm of his hand.

…Wait.

Zim gasped as he looked at his palm. The rash was gone.

"It's gone, my poison oak it's gone!" exclaimed Zim with ultimate surprise, quickly he got out of bed and ran down the stairs, his arms extended to his sides.

He was imagining he could fly like the little dragonflies from his dream.

The wonderland was real. It was real and it was all Zim's!

Exited Zim pulled open the door, expecting the colorful hallway to appear before him.

The door had to lead to the wonderland, the dream was too real! Too wonderful!

Zim's smile suddenly disappeared and turned into a disappointed frown.

"Huh," said Zim, reaching out to touch the brick wall in front of him, wishing that the wonderland would be more than a dream.

Zim's antennae suddenly perked up once he heard a kettle whistle from the kitchen.

With a sigh he walked into the kitchen, watching as his real brothers scrambled around aimlessly.

Purple was making coffee, while Red was reading over some papers and eating chocolate rice krispies cereal.

* * *

><p>"It was incredibly real Viola," said Zim taking a munch of his chocolate rice krispies cereal and a sip of his orange juice, grimacing a little at the awkward taste and continuing with his story.<p>

"Only you weren't really you. You were my other brother," said Zim while moving his hands around.

Zim was still in his green egyptian pajamas and now had a bandage on his cheek due to the bruise he recieved the other night.

Red applied it carefully, hoping Zim would forgive him.

Zim didn't, before Red could even embrace Zim in a small "I'm sorry" hug, Zim pushed him away.

He was still angry, and what was worse is that instead of listening, they ignored or tried to keep him out of the way.

"Buttons for eyes, huh?" Said Purple, pouring coffee into a mug.

"Zim your only dreamed you ate all that chicken." Said Purple waving his fingers around, "Take your multi vitamin at least." He sighed.

"You were in the dream, too, Merah," said Zim pointing at Red who was giving little attention to his younger brother.

He picked up a mug of coffee and quickly ate his cereal, dropping his papers in the process.

"You had wild looking pajamas and orange monkey slippers," said Zim who was continuing his story, his eyes wide with excitement.

"orange?" exclaimed Red, his antennae perked up, " my monkey slippers are red!" he said raising left leg up high for emphasis, so Zim can see the red flip flop on his foot.

He was trying to make Zim laugh.

It didn't work.

Zim shook his head at his brother.

"Psst. can you get me some of that magic mud you were talking about?" asked Red, "because i have a terrible case of writers rash on my-"

"A-hem!"

Zim and Red both looked over at Purple who was closing the refrigerator.

Red was in a position where his hand was close to his behind. He clenched it after about a second of silence.

"If the real Merah Vasquez wants his papers edited, he better wrap them up ASAP," said Purple sternly while walking away from the refrigerator.

Red obayed and walked out of the kitchen with the most frustrated look on his face.

"Zim, why don't you go visit down stairs? I'm sure those _actors_ would love to hear about your dream," said Purple with a roll of his eyes.

"Miss bitters and Mr. Rankle?"Asked Zim, dropping his spoon into his cereal.

"But you said their dingbats!" he said smacking his forehead for emphasis.

"Mmhmm," Purple gave Zim a look and disappeared into the hall.

Great, now he had to visit the crazy old neighbors from down stairs. Why couldn't he just stay in the incredible dream?

* * *

><p>Phew! okay now that this is done, tell me what you think, give me corrections annything.<p>

its 12 am and i am verry tired, i will edit this later. so yeah... yawn...

good night and review!


	5. Chapter 5 The Amazing Chicken Foot

Hello everybody this is Sakiko!

Yeah, okay new update, sorry if this one sucks, this thing is mostly a filler, soooo yeah, anyways sorry if it took me so long, I have other stories too you know and I have been volunteering at a library recently, soooo yeah.

Anyways, enjoy the update and I hope ya'll prosper.

Zim: why do you say that?

I don't know Zim.

* * *

><p>Chapter 5<p>

The Amazing Chicken Foot.

"Zim," said purple shutting the refrigerator door, "why don't you go visit down stairs? I'm sure those _actors_ would love to hear about your dream," said Purple with a roll of his eyes.

"Mrs. Bitters and Mr. Rankle?"Asked Zim, dropping his spoon into his cereal, "But you said their dingbats!" he said smacking his forehead for emphasis.

"Mmhmm," Purple gave Zim a look and disappeared down the hall, heading for his study.

Great, now he had to visit the crazy old neighbors from down stairs. Why couldn't he just stay in the incredible dream?

Why? Darn it why?

Whatever, he can do that later. Although he did promise a card game to Mr. Rankle…Great.

* * *

><p>Zim walked, well more like stamped, up the stairs ignoring Purples demands for him to be quiet.<p>

Upon entering his room he stared at the walls as he dressed wishing he could be in the interesting other room, and wishing that his head and cheek would stop hurting.

Adjusting his comfortable baggy jeans, and purple rain boots and coat, Zim yawned and walked out into the hall, noticing the drawing room.

The drawing room was a door down on the opposite side of the hall.

Zim smiled; surely his brothers wouldn't notice him in the drawing room. Of course they barely notice him at all when they are working.

As long as no one noticed, Zim would stay out of trouble.

With a sigh Zim cautiously approached the door that led to the drawing room.

Zim stopped and listened. He knew that he was doing something wrong, and he was trying to listen for his brothers coming up the stairs, but he heard nothing.

Zim smiled and walked inside, looking around the drawing room as he did.

The twins did not use the drawing room. They had inherited the furniture from Zim's grandmother, along with a wooden coffee table, a side table, a heavy glass ashtray, and the oil painting of a bowl of fruit. Zim could never work out why anyone would want to paint a bowl of fruit. Other than that, the room was empty: there were no knickknacks on the mantelpiece, no statues or clocks nothing that made it feel comfortable or lived-in.

Growing bored, Zim walked down the stairs to the study where his purple obsessed brother was.

At the moment he was typing something on his old computer.

Apparently he had just come out of the shower. Purple was only in his skinny blue jeans and had a damp towel draping over his head.

"I'm going out for a walk," said Zim.

"Don't go too far," said Purple "and dress up warmly!"

Zim rolled his eyes and walked on towards the main entrance to the house.

It was foggy outside, and very humid, it made Zim's antennae droop a little.

As he walked out he noticed Mr. Slab Rankle walking his dogs. Mr. Rankle was a white haired old guy, with a small scar on his face, and a black eye patch.

Mr. Rankle reminded Zim of a retired Sergeant or Security personnel.

He was bundled up in black pullovers, grey cardigans and oddly enough, black combat boots.

Zim thought he looked like a large, fluffy egg.

"Hello, Tim," said Mr. Rankle looking down at Zim with his one good eye. "rotten weather."

"Yeah, sure is, and its Zim Mr. Rankle, with a Z," said Zim.

"I played Antonio once," said Mr. Rankle, ignoring Zim's correction. "My dear Lucille talks about her Ophelia, but it were my Antonio they came to see!"

Zim tilted his head trying to identify what Mr. Rankle was talking about.

"But even when I didn't do the works of Shakespeare, the great bard. They used to send flowers to my dressing room. They DID," said Mr. Rankle, holding his head high. "It was better than the time I worked in the mall! I loved it when they sent me flowers!"

"Who?" asked Zim, twitching his antennae in curiosity.

Mr. Rankle looked around cautiously, looking over first one shoulder and then over the other, peering into the mists and fogs as though someone might be listening.

"Pretty Women," he whispered, "Don't tell Lucille anything though, are you coming over to play cards Timmy?" asked Mr. Rankle

Zim nodded, "later Mr. Rankle," he said.

Mr. Rankle only nodded, "Remember not a word to the missus," he then tugged the dog's leaches a little and walked off towards the house.

Zim arched an invisible brow and continued on his walk.

He was three quarters of the way around the house when he saw Mrs. Lucille Bitters, standing at the door to the flat she owned with Mr. Rankle.

She had white hair that was picked up in a tight bun, thick glasses and a black dress. She looked as if she were dressed for a funeral. Very scary.

"Have you seen my husband Zeem?" she asked.

"Why does every one think my name is Tim or Zeem? It's Zim! Zim! My parents made no mistake! I am Zim!" said Zim raising his hands up angrily.

Mrs. Bitters only cocked a white brow and put her hands on her small hips.

"Well?" she said, expecting an answer to her question.

Zim sighed and told her that he did see Mr. Rankle, and that he was out walking the dogs.

"I hope he doesn't get lost- it'll bring on his shingles if he does, the moron, you'll see," said Mrs. Bitters, " you'd have to be and explorer to find your way around this fog. Feh, not like my idiotic husband."

"I'm an explorer," said Zim proudly.

"Of course you are, love," said Mrs. Bitters with a passive wave. "Don't get lost, now."

Zim shook his head and continued walking through the gardens in the gray mist. He always kept in sight of the house.

After about ten minutes of walking he found himself back where he started.

Zim then noticed that his antennae were limp and wet, and that his face felt damp.

* * *

><p>With a sigh, he walked over to the garden and up the steps to the kitchen door. He wished he could plant the seeds his mother gave him, but Red wouldn't allow it.<p>

Zim then saw the dead rose bush that was in the garden. With a smile he went inside and started looking through a specific drawer in the kitchen.

"Zim what are you doing?" asked Red who was typing on his laptop from his usual spot in the kitchen, he was still in his usual pajama's.

Zim ignored his brother and simply grabbed the garden gloves from the drawer and ran back outside.

Red stared at his computer screen, mildly agitated over the fact that Zim completely ignored him.

Suddenly Zim walked back in with a smile on his face.

"Zim your dripping all over the floor," sighed Red, noticing Zim come in with some dead roses.

"What do you think Redsy, you can put them in the new catalog," said Zim, placing the roses on the table.

Red made a face and quickly drew back his lap top.

"Riiiiight… put them in the sink," said Red annoyed.

Zim stuck his tongue out at his brother and put the roses in the kitchen sink, picking on one of the roses petals.

Red sighed and placed his laptop back on the table, and stared at Zim's cheek.

The bruise he gave his brother was still there, it must have hurt.

"I really miss Michigan," sighed Zim, picking on the pedals of a dead rose, only to draw back a little because a strange insect crawled on his hand.

"You already made a friend," responded Red, going back to typing.

"Dib and Gaz Membrane? They're too psycho to be friends with." Said Zim, flicking the insect through the air, unknowingly making it fall into his brother's coffee.

Red, not knowing that there was an insect in his coffee took a sip and placed the 'I heart mulch' mug back on the table.

"I'm sure you'll meet some great kids when you start school here," said Red.

"When do I go back to school?" asked Zim.

"Uhhhh… August eighteenth I think, that's in uhh, one month actually, yeah you go to school in about a month," said Red taking another sip of his coffee.

"Um, I heard it's uniforms only." said Purple, who just came in from his study. He had an empty bottle of orange juice in his hands; he was probably going to retrieve a new bottle.

"Uniforms? Are you kidding me? Ugh!" groaned Red.

Purple nudged his twin with his elbow, "Oh, don't be such a drama queen."

"Hmph, well that's just great," said Red." I suppose I'll have to get you new school clothes, Zim. Remind me, you two, or else I'll forget." and he went back to typing things on the computer screen.

"What shall I do?" asked Zim.

"Go watch a movie?" suggested Purple, opening the refrigerator door and retrieving a new bottle of orange juice.

"The theatre is too far and I've seen all the movies in this house, and I can't go on Netflix because you two are too busy with the computers and I don't know where the game systems are. So I ask again. What shall I do?" asked Zim.

"Here," said Red placing a blank sheet of printing paper and a pen on the table, "sit down and draw a picture or something."

Zim sat down along with Purple.

The bug that was still swimming in Red's coffee finally was able to crawl out.

"ICK!" said Purple, "There was some weird bug in your drink!"

"**_EEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEW_**!" cried Red throwing his coffee in the sink and quickly running up the stairs to the bathroom.

Zim and Purple laughed as Red ran. The bug, confused only crawled on Zim's drawing paper, and scurried away quickly before any harm could come to it.

"I'll take the poor thing outside," said Purple chuckling as he quickly grabbed the bug and flicked it out the kitchen door.

Zim tried drawing the mist. After ten minutes of drawing all he had was the tiny marks of the strange bug's feet, some mist like swirls and

_M T  
>S<br>I_

Written in squiggly letters.

Zim suddenly felt something on his hand. It was Purple's antenna, apparently he had fallen asleep.

His head was resting on the table and his thin arms resting on his lap.

"You work too much," said Zim quietly, "I wish you and Merah could play with me."

Zim quietly exited the kitchen and went out through the main entrance again, this time with a pair of rose-trimmers at hand.

He wanted to get his explorers hat from the car, Zim had put it for safe keeping in a small rolling book-bag that Red had strapped on top of the car. No one had really bothered to cut the rope that held the book-bag and some other baggage as well. So all this time his brothers' baggage and his hat had been outside in the fog and rain. Thank goodness his book-bag was water-proof.

* * *

><p>As Zim walked outside he noticed a small pile of packages and envelopes by the door.<p>

"Oh awesome mail," said Zim hopeful that his friends had sent him a letter or that his mother had sent him new seeds to plant.

Zim quickly stabbed the porch with his rose-trimmers and picked up the mail.

Zim was disappointed as he realized nothing came for him.

"Rodriguez, Rodriguez, Rodriguez," Zim read disappointed. Then a smell came to him. It smelled horrible. Zim sniffed around for a bit and then sniffed the mail. It was the mail that smelled.

"Uhhh! Poowee!" exclaimed Zim in disgust.

"Gross-gusting." He mumbled as he walked up the stairs to Mr. Rodriguez's apartment, which was the attic flat.

The stairs were made of wood and metal, and the railing was wobbly too. Zim didn't like it, the squeaks and groans made him nervous.

Zim finally reached the top and knocked on the door to Mr. Rodriguez's flat, "H-hello? I think our mail got mixed up." he called. Hearing nothing Zim pressed his antennae to the door trying to listen for Mr. Rodriguez. "Should I leave it outside or? AH!" Zim, not knowing that the door was unlocked fell as the door suddenly opened.

Regaining his balance, Zim picked up the packages that fell out of his hand. Curious, Zim looked around the apartment.

Everything was dark, disorganized and full of hay and feathers, not to mention there was a chicken clucking around in there and a chicken suit of some sort.

"SECRET!" shouted a voice, causing Zim to scream and drop the packages again.

"Ahhh!"

"Famous jumping mouse and chicken circus not ready!" said a man that popped out of nowhere and closed the door to the apartment. "Keep door shut! The mice do not like the mist, it makes their whiskers droop."

He munched on a corn stalk and looked down at Zim. "Little Irken boy."

"Circus? Oh uh... I uh, brought this for you?" said Zim rather nervously, handing the packages to the man.

The man smiled and sniffed at the packages.

"Ahhhh delicioso!" he exclaimed, placing the packages in a spot by the stairs.

"Huh?" Zim looked at the man, this was the first time he's seen Mr. Rodriguez up close. Every other time he would see the crazy man on the roof doing some weird exercises. The man was very thin, with balding brown hair, buggy eyes, tan skin and a strange Spanish accent.

"New corn and cheese samples?" said Mr. Rodriguez, balancing on a rail.

"Very clever, using this mix-up to sneak my home and peek at my polluelos y ratoncillos?"

"Po-yellows?" asked Zim confused.

"My pets, the chicks and mice!" said Mr. Rodriguez, doing a split in front of Zim.

"Oh, sorry...I'm Zim Vasquez," said Zim trying to introduce himself.

"And I am the amazing Chicken-foot! Chewy Rodriguez!" said Mr. Rodriguez balancing himself on the rail again, using only one arm to support his body horizontally, "But you call me Mr. R, because amazing I already know that I am!"

Mr. Rodriguez then jumped off the railing.

"What!" exclaimed Zim, looking over the railing in panic, "you didn't die did you?" asked Zim. Only nobody was on the ground. "Huh?" Zim was confused.

Zim then turned around to see Mr. Rodriguez standing there in one piece.

"Ha! You see Tim, the problem is, my new songs go oompah! Oompah! But the chicks go only pip pip, and the mice play only toodle-toot, is nice, but not so much as amazing. So now, I switch to stronger cheese, stronger corn and soon, watch out!" said Mr. Rodriguez saluting.

"Here have broccoli. Make you strong," said Mr. Rodriguez giving Zim a raw broccoli.

Zim only gave Mr. Rodriguez a look and huffed.

"Hasta luego, Tim," said Mr. Rodriguez closing the door.

"ZIM!" said Zim in a serious tone while throwing the broccoli in some random direction.

With a sigh he walked back down stairs, hopefully the visit to Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitters would be less than a waste of time.

Taking out his rose-trimmers Zim started to hum the tune Mr. Rodriguez was trying to teach his 'pets.'

"Oompah, oompah, toodle-toot, toodle-toot," he sang as he headed towards the car.

"Hey! Tim, Espera!" called Mr. Rodriguez from his flat. "Waiiiit!"

Zim was not expecting Mr. Rodriguez to jump from the railing, which Zim happened to be under at the moment.

"NO!" cried Zim covering his head with the rose-trimmers. He didn't want to be squished.

"Humph!" Although Mr. Rodriguez did land on the ground, he did so in an awkward squat, mostly due to the fact that Zim's rose trimmers almost nicked his groin.

Mr. Rodriguez moved away and only patted Zim's head. "You rascal, the mice, asked me to give you message," he said in a serious tone.

"The jumping mice?" asked Zim a little confused.

"They are saying... do not go through little door," whispered Mr. Rodriguez.

Zim gasped and backed away from Mr. Rodriguez. This was starting to get a little weird.

"Do you know such a thing?" asked Mr. Rodriguez.

"The door behind the wall paper? But it's all... bricked up," said Zim still confused and shocked.

"Bah. So sorry. Is nothing. Sometimes the mice are little mixed-up. Hmm? They even get your name wrong you know? They call you Zim instead of Tim, not Tim at all! Maybe I work them to hard. Maybe Chicks work to hard too, they won't eat now." Said Mr. Rodriguez walking back up the stairs to his apartment.

Zim flicked his antennae and continued walking towards the car.

What did they mean do not go through the little door?

* * *

><p>Phew, okay I hoped you enjoyed my update and if you didn't oh well I tried, I'm sorry.<p>

Okay Please Review!

Its right here soo please click on the link! click it! CLICK IT!

Zim: calm down!

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	6. Chapter 6 MrRankle & Mrs Bitters

Yo Yo Yigity Yo!

Hi people this is Sakiko brining you (finally) an UPDATE! YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY!

Okay I am so sorry but as you already know; my computer got a humongous virus that completely screwed over my computer. Ugh, and you know the sad part is that I feel like a minority.

I'm the only PC user in my group of friends TT_TT

Ahhhhh, the calamity! So I am updating to you people via my husband's Mac computer. No offence to any Mac users but I really hate not knowing how to use this thing fluently. Ugh drives me crazy.

ANYWAYS. Here's the story, and do forgive me for any errors you might see I'm still not used to this thing.

And here we go!

ALSO!

a huge huge HUGE thank you to **Imarmedanddangerous** for helping me out in this chapter (YOUR AWSOME!)

* * *

><p>Chapter 6 Ms. Bitters &amp; Mr. Rankle<p>

What did they mean do not go through the little door?

Zim blinked a few times, trying to process the information he just gathered.

Zim gripped the rose trimmers he had in his hand, trying hard just to ignore the message.

Zim looked up to see the old, grey Volkswagen bug his brothers owned.

Smiling slightly he cut the ropes using the rose trim, taking his waterproof bag from the top.

"Pur an' Red are sure going to be mad once they figure out their crap is wet, sheesh who in the right mind leaves their luggage on top of a car in the rain?"

Zim paused for a second thinking about what he just said to himself.

"Yeah, but I was smart enough to remember and to actually put my prized possession into a waterproof book bag! So there!" he mumbled to himself opening his book bag and revealing his most prized possession.

A grey and black military cap.

Smiling he placed the dry cap on his head, letting out a pleasing sigh as his antennae twitched through their custom made holes.

Heading towards the stairs that led to the basement flat, Zim knocked on the door. Feeling something at his feet, Zim looked down only to see a welcome mat that said something...stupid.

'No whistling in the house'

Lifting an invisible brow, Zim peered in through one of the doors glassy frames, trying desperately to see if someone was coming.

"AH!" Zim jumped backwards once the Scottie dogs started their frenzied woofing as they ran out into the hall and started jumping at the door.

After a while Mrs. Bitters opened the door, allowing the dogs to go ahead and pounce and sniff at Zim, yipping or growling with excitement.

They seemed to be very pleased with Zim's fearful reaction.

"Ew ew eeeeeeeeeeeeeeew!" yelped Zim, trying desperately to avoid the dogs' slimy tongues and cold noses, cringing whenever they did manage to lick him.

"Oh cease your infernal yapping!" hissed Mrs. Bitters trying hard to hide an amused smirk.

The dog's soon silenced and started sniffing each other, going around Zim as they did so.

"Hello Ms. Bitters!" greeted Zim who was still looking at the dogs rather nervously.

"Oh hello Tim. Come inside, I think my foolish husband invited you?" said Ms. Bitters as the dogs started their little chatter once again," Angus, Hamish, Bruce, calm down now luvvies its only Tim," she said in a loving tone that was completely unnatural for a woman like her.

It was actually pretty disturbing.

Zim shuttered as she talked to her dogs.

Like always Mrs. Bitters was wearing that black dress of hers with the old black leather boots.

"Still Zim Mrs. Bitters" said Zim, taking off his purple raincoat and wiping his purple swampers on the welcome mat.

"Would you like some tea kid? It'll slim down that little gut you're growing, "said Ms. Bitters adjusting her glasses and snickering.

'_ZIM IS NOT **FAT! **Zim is just...well rounded...okay...just one cup.'_ Thought Zim a little reluctantly.

"Yes, please," said Zim walking in. A small polite smile on his face.

"Slab! Put the kettle on! Come on boys, inside, shoo!" cried out Mrs. Bitters as she nabbed the dogs' collars and led Zim into the flat, disappearing behind a small curtain, almost like a shadow or a snake...

'She sure is scary," thought Zim taking off his purple raincoat.

Zim's antennae twitched as he sniffed the air, catching a scent.

The flat smelled of furniture polish and dog.

Plus the dust and humidity wasn't helping, so Zim smiled and stepped in shyly past the curtain not to seem rude.

The flat itself was left more to be desired.

The floor was made of old and creaky wood, slightly damp from the weather outside, while the walls were made of old concrete and brick.

On the walls were some college degrees, some old trophies, tons of books, costumes, make-up, black-and-white photographs of a pretty woman and a man, along with theater programs, such as 'Julius Sees-her' and 'King Leer' in frames, with the same couple in the front. Possibly Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitters when they were young.

'Age really changes you huh?' thought Zim looking at a picture of the younger versions of Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitters at their wedding.

'They looked so happy' thought the young irken as he tried to get to the couch.

The furniture was pressed close together making it difficult to maneuver and giving Zim a claustrophobic feeling despite the fact that the flat was actually the size of the first floor to his brothers' flat.

"Wait a sec-" said Zim.

He did a double take when he saw several shelves displaying trios of stuffed dogs, all wearing angel costumes.

"That's a... interesting decor choice. Are they...real?" Zim asked, gesturing towards the stuffed animals. How creepy is that?

After Mrs. Bitters finished calming her pets, she sat down on an armchair before looking to see what Zim was talking about.

"Hmm? Ah yes. That. Oh, my sweet wittle departed angels. Well I get so attached to these dogs," said Mrs. Bitters, pausing to scratch one of the Scotties between his ears. "I couldn't bear to part with them, so I had them stuffed. Their better than human company at least."

Zim only stared at the old woman before him as she started naming the dogs that had passed away.

It was freaky...

"Now, there's Hamish the third, the ninth, yes. The fourth, I'm right. And Jock Jr., Jock sr., Jock the third, the fourth, oh and that's Jocks second cousin thrice removed-"

"Lucille! I think something's in the house!"Interrupted a voice from the kitchen.

"Hello Mr. Rankle," said Zim, greeting the old mall cop.

Blinked in surprise as he walked into the living room or parlor as Mrs. Bitters liked to call it.

The old man was wearing an old worn out blue robe over his grey pajamas, with some fluffy green slippers on his feet.

"Oh really Slab, it's the new neighbor Tim," Said Mrs. Bitters scratching a dog's ears again.

"I thought it was Zeem," said Mr. Rankle scratching his chin.

"No you fool its Tim, TIM; he'll be having the Oolong tea." Said Mrs. Bitters.

"Actually my name is Zim, you know with a Z?" said Zim only to be ignored.

"No! Oh, no no. I'm sure he'd prefer jasmine!" Said Mr. Rankle walking back towards the kitchen.

"No, Oolong," said Mrs. Bitters annoyed.

"Ah, jasmine it is then!" Said Mr. Rankle, ignoring his annoyed wife completely.

In response she just face palmed and started rubbing her temples.

Zim couldn't help but smirk at this.

They poured him a cup of tea in a little pink bone china cup, with a saucer and a dry Garibaldi biscuit to go with it.

"So, Slab. As I was saying: you still have to admit, there's life in the old dog yet," said Mrs. Bitters scratching one of her dog's bellies.

"Lucille, dear, neither of us is as young as we were," said Mr. Rankle taking a sip of his tea.

"Madame Arcati," replied Mrs. Bitters. "The nurse in _Romeo_. Lady Bracknell. Character parts. They can't retire me from the stage."

Mr. Rankle rolled his eye, "Now, Lucy, we _agreed,_" he grumbled.

Zim in the meantime wondered if they'd forgotten that he was there. They weren't making much sense; he decided they were having an argument as old and comfortable as an armchair, the kind of argument that no one ever really wins or loses but which can go on forever, if both parties are willing.

Zim just smiled and sipped his tea as Mr. Rankle placed a bowl of dull colored candy in front of him.

"Go on have one. Its hand pulled taffy from Brighton. Best in the world," said Mr. Rankle with a soft chuckle.

"So as I was saying I think you can still-"

Zim ignored Mrs. Bitters. Right now he was stuck in a predicament. Quite literally. Apparently when Zim took hold of the candy, the hundred-year-old candy just stuck to him like gum on a shoe.

Zim pushed on the plate, with his foot, falling on his back and pushing even harder.

*clunk*

"What was that?" asked Mrs. Bitters, who was interrupted from the argument.

Zim ignored her and quickly took a sip of his tea before the old couple could notice the bowl of candy that was stuck to the ceiling.

"I'll read them if you like,"

Zim looked up at Mr. Rankle.

"Read what?" Asked Zim, his antennae twitching with pure curiosity.

"Your tea leaves, son. They'll tell me your future. Drink up then. Go on," said Mr. Rankle, waving his hand.

Zim started gulping it down when-

"No, not all of it! Not all of it," said Mr. Rankle with a chuckle.

Smiling, Zim took a few more sips, leaving a little of the tea at the bottom of the cup. It sure was delicious.

"That's right, now hand it over," said Mr. Rankle taking the china cup from Zim's hands only to peer inside and shudder.

"Oh! Oh Tim! Tim, Tim, Tim! You are in terrible danger," said Mr. Rankle with a worried look passing his old features.

"Oh, Slab you old koot! Your scaring the boy, you know that's my job, now give me that cup Slab. Your eyes are going," growled Mrs. Bitters, getting up and taking the cup from Mr. Rankle.

"My eyes?" growled Mr. Rankle, annoyed," your blind as a bat."

"Oh now. Well, don't worry, Kid. It's good news, there's a tall Lovely beauty in your future," said Mrs. Bitters, snickering.

"A what?" asked Zim blushing from complete embarrassment.

"Oh Lucille, oh really. You're holding it wrong. See? Danger," said Mr. Rankle, holding the cup at an angle while he and Mrs. Bitters peered in.

"What do you see?" asked Zim, eyes wide with curiousness and worry.

"I see a very peculiar hand," said Mr. Rankle, a look of fear passing by his features as he stared at the cup.

"I see a giraffe," said Mrs. Bitters turning the cup at another angle.

"Giraffes don't just fall out of the sky Lucy!" said Mr. Rankle annoyed, waving his arms around to emphasize.

Only-

**_*CRAAAACK*_**

Apparently the bowl of hundred-year-old taffy had fallen to the floor with a frightening sound, causing the current beings in the room to jump or bark in fright and or surprise.

"OH!"

"Lord!"

Zim calmed down as he started to put the information together.

"Well, what should I do?"He asked looking up at his old neighbors.

"Never wear green in your dressing room," said Mr. Rankle, shoving Mrs. Bitters out of Zim's view, obviously trying to get Zim's full praise and attention.

"Acquire a very tall step ladder," said Mrs. Bitters shoving just to get back at him.

"And be very, very careful- OH!" cried Mr. Rankle toppling over due to Mrs. Bitters harsh shoving.

"Now, was there something you came to tell us?" said Mrs. Bitters chuckling malignantly at her husband.

Mr. Rankle only glared at her.

"No," said Zim, getting up from the couch "I guess not. Thanks for the tea, though," he sighed getting his coat and leaving the old basement.

"toodle-oo," said Mr. Rankle sitting down in an arm chair, only to shuffle cards.

"Cheery-by," sang Mrs. Bitters as Zim started to open the door.

As he walked out Zim could hear the one sentence that would cause him to shiver in utter fear.

"Do you have any nice queens for mummy?"

(Dog yips)

That lady sure was weird.

* * *

><p>Well... This was not the best chapter I've written so far. Why? Because my computer is broken, my job just went up and now I'm attending college.<p>

So as you can see my updates are going to be slower than usual.

That is truly upsetting.

I'm sorry for taking so long but I really hope this chapter isn't as crappy as I think it is.

Thank you so much and please review!

Jack: Also coming soon Spicer's secrets by daviantartsbiglover and Pearl!

Shut up jack.

Jack: REVIEW! Do it or I'll scream!

You did scream

Jack: then I'LL SCREAM LOUDER!

TT_TT


	7. Chapter 7 In The Garden

I am sooooooooo sorry! m(._.)m

I do not deserve such awesome people reading my stories! GUH! my computer has been acting so crazy lately and I have become so so so so sooooo busy because of college and all I have been unable to update as much as I wanted too *sob*sob*sob* TT_TT

I have to update via I-pad, its fun but I miss updaaaaatiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing :(

Grr! it makes me soooooooooo angry! *tablefliprage*(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

-insertevillaughterhere-

But with all due seriousness, yeah I am sorry for not updating as much as I wanted to.

Life keeps me busy along with new fan fictions (Secrets of Jack Spicer is the newest and another is on its way) and with little Jack here.

Jack:Hi. Coming _soon_ to a computer near you! the new stories written by Sakiko!

For Xiaolin Showdown- _Pearl_ (second FemJack), _Chase's cat, Touch my awesome button, Farfalla, Epic Meal Time, and Inception_ (the Xiaolin way)

For Megamind: _Punch club-rewritten! Tangled!(_possible, still debating) and _the Superman effect_(sneak peak in The Prodigy)

For Invader Zim: _KICK ASS_ (Dib style), and _District_

and as a crossover for Red vs. Blue Megamind, Invader Zim and Xiaolin showdown, The "Epic" Chronicle that somehow works- **_Red vs. Blue_**: _The League of Extraordinary Nobodies_

Thank you jack ^^ *hugs*

So yeah, bear with me my loves!

See that I still adore your support and your stories (yes I read) as well as your acknowledgements!

Jack: on with the story and enjoy!

Don't forget to review please and thank you!

Jack: -siiiiiiiiiiigh-

* * *

><p>Chapter 7 In The Garden<p>

* * *

><p>"do you have any nice queens for mummy?"<p>

(dog yips)

Zim shuddered as he heard the conversation. closing the door to and basement flat.

'What and odd couple. What did they mean by danger?' Thought Zim as he left the basement flat, walking up the old and wet brick stairs and into the fog. 'In danger?' he thought again, heading up the side-porch steps to his brothers' flat.

In danger.

It sounded exiting.

It didn't sound like a bad thing.

Not really.

Zim continued on his way until he heard a small familiar 'click' behind him, and a familiar 'rattle'.

Smiling impishly, Zim decided to take the long way back to his brothers' flat. Jumping down the porch steps and walking into the drive-way, where the car and the fallen over tree was.

after looking back to see a familiar lens following him, Zim smiled and took hold of it, pulling the lens and the wearer up from the fog.

"Great! the village stalker," growled Zim punching the Dib membrane on the shoulder, while taking off the boy's strange spying gear.

As usual, the boy with the weird hair-do was wearing his black trench coat, only this time he seemed more casual. Wearing some black pants, comfortable black shoes and a blue 'straight face'(:|) T-shirt.

"Ow! I wasn't stalking you!" complained Dib, rubbing his shoulder, "we're hunting banana slugs" he said with a smile.

"what do you mean 'we'?" asked Zim looking around the fog nervously.

Zim looked at the moving bulge that suddenly appeared in Dib's trench coat, finally coming out from the back, where the hoodie was, a familiar furry black head appeared.

"Say Hi, Mimi!" cooed Dib, allowing the black cat to rest on his shoulder.

"meow!"

"ha!" Zim laughed looking at the supposedly 'feral' cat. "your cat's not wild, he's a wuss puss!" he laughed, "Not as brave as the mighty Ziiiim!" he teased.

Mimi let out an annoyed growl as Zim teased her.

"what? **_She_** just hates to get her feed wet. Jeez!" said Dib, snatching back his spying mask from Zim.

"wuss puss," said Zim in a sing-song tune.

Mimi only hissed and jumped off Dib's shoulders and onto a half of a fallen log, the part where the branches almost touched the roof of the Pink Palace.

Apparently, years ago, that old tree was struck by lightning, blocking the parking. So it had to be cut into halves, and only the top half touched the house while the roots hung at the other side, reaching out towards the grass.

"So what happened to your cheek?" asked Dib, eyeing the dark marks on Zim's cheek.

"Oh uhhh, I fell," Zim lied.

"You fell?" asked Dib looking at Zim questioningly.

"Yes, I fell, it was an accident," Zim lied, shifting his weight slightly as he remembered the incident with his brother.

Rolling his eyes Dib put on his spying mask and pulled out some barb-b-q tongs from his trench coat. Looking down into the fog, he started to follow the slimy trail of a banana slug.

"Awesome I just found a trail!" said Dib, adjusting the mask's lenses and walking off in the direction of the trail.

Zim, who was bored, only followed the boy, letting his purple rain boots sink into the mud as he did.

Looking up he saw his look-alike doll through one of his bedroom windows.

'How did it get there?' He thought staring up at the little doll. It looked strange somehow...Then Zim remembered the person that gave him that doll.

"So, that doll," said Zim, starting up conversation due to curiosity, "Did you make it look like me?"

"Oh, no," Said Dib, shaking his head as he continued to follow the slimy trail, "Sis and I found it that way. It's older than Dad...Old as this house, probably," he mumbled with a shrug.

"Come on," snorted Zim, adjusting his explorers hat, "green skin, my antennae, my swampers and raincoat?"

"Dang! check out slugzilla!" Exclaimed Dib, practically ignoring Zim's statement and shoving the slimy slug in Zim's face.

Cringing, Zim pushed the creature out of his personal space and sighed with frustration, "you're just like them," he growled.

Dib looked at the slimy creature with a confused look and then returned his gaze to Zim.

"Huh?"

"He means you're slimy and ugly!" chuckled a dark familiar voice.

Turning around he could see the purple haired sibling smirking rather evilly.

"AH! How'd you get to be so stealthy?" asked Zim jumping back slightly.

"It's a gift," hummed Gaz, opening a brown eye, looking over the Pink Palace. Like dib she was dressed rather casually, wearing a little black dress with black striped hot pink leggings and a black striped grey thin sweatshirt underneath. Around her neck was a small skull necklace that seemed to compliment Gaz in a good way.

"Humph, anyways Dib, I meant my _brothers_," growled Zim, making 'clutching' hands as he spoke of his brothers "they don't listen to me either."

"Uh huh, you mind?"said Dib, once again ignoring the Irken and shoving a small digital camera in his hands.

"Take a picture!" encouraged Dib, positioning himself in front of the camera.

"Hey Dibby did you remember to take the lens-cap off?" teased Gaz, pointing at the digital camera with a smirk.

"Yes! okay Tim, ready? Om nom nom!"

Dib smiled as he modeled for the camera, acting as if he were eating the head of the rather large slug he had found.

"Oh I know a nasty one!" said Gaz taking the slug with her bare hand and placing it by her nose, stretching the poor creature out as far as it could, making it look like an ugly booger.

"Nyaaaauugh" she moaned as Zim took the picture.

"Eheheheheeeew!" laughed Dib, taking the slug back as Gaz snickered.

"Okay here's a good one, slugzilla! Ahhhh! Oh no, it gonna eat me!" Dib cried, making a panicked expression as he positioned himself for the picture, drawing the slug closer to the camera, making it look bigger.

"Gross, that's a cool picture," mumbled Zim, smiling slightly.

"Hmmm," Dib smiled and covered the slug and his face with his sleeve, nearing the camera he revealed his slug mustache.

"Ew!" cried Zim laughing as he took the picture.

Gaz only snickered and shook her head.

Dib, who had his fun with the slug, already tossed it aside into the fog without much care. Soon enough, things got quiet and slightly awkward as Zim returned the camera.

"you know," sighed Gaz "we've never been inside the pink palace."

Zim cocked an invisible brow, "you're kidding," he snorted.

"Psh. Dad'll kill us. Thinks its dangerous or something," said Dib, looking up at the Pink Palace, eyes darting around, inspecting the old mansion.

"dangerous?" asked Zim, looking up at his temporary home. It could be, with the weird neighbors, the fog and his brothers.

"Well, he had a twin sister," said Gaz, pacing around Dib and Zim, sort of how like an animal stalks its prey.

"So?" urged Zim, his antennae, now alert under his explorers cap, wiggling in curiosity.

"When they were kids," continued Gaz in a subtle tone, "Dad's sister _disappeared_."

Zim's antennae were now high and alert, lifting Zim's hat slightly off his head. This was interesting.

"He says she was stolen," said Dib, eyeing the Irken's antennae, a small smirk appearing on his lips.

Zim immediately glared at the boy, flattening his antennae against his head, "Touch them, you die," he warned.

Dib only laughed nervously and took a few steps back at the threat. Still it was tempting.

"Stolen?" asked Zim, returning his attention to the house.

Mimi was lounging on the roof by Zim's window, growling at a certain doll.

"Meow!"

"Mimi, get down from there!" called Dib, annoyed at the black furred creature.

Mimi only continued to growl, aching her back threateningly as some unseen enemy.

"Maybe she found one of Mr. Rodriguez's chicks or mice?" asked Zim shrugging.

Dib only laughed out loud, "Don't be stupid, that "Chicken Foot's astounding circus" is all in Mr. Rodriguez's head!"

Gaz nodded in agreement as Zim only twitched his antennae in slight annoyance.

"Well, what do you think?" asked Zim, going back on the subject and eyeing the Pink Palace once more.

"About what?" asked Gaz, opening a brown eye.

"About your father's sister," said Zim.

"Well I ahhh..." Gaz, shrugged as she thought about her father, "I don't know, maybe she just ran away?" she concluded.

"Gazlene! Dib!" called a voice in the distance.

Both siblings groaned.

"Come on Mimi!" called Dib, grunting as Mimi quickly jumped off the Pink Palace's roof and onto the boys shoulder, "Bye Tim," said Dib with a wave and disappearing into the fog.

"Look, we gotta go, nice talking to ya Timmy," said Gaz following after her brother and disappearing into the swirling fog leaving Zim hungry for more answers.

"wait a minute!" called Zim, hoping to learn more about the Membrane's missing aunt, "Huhh..."

Zim looked over the house again, staring into his bedroom window with interest...

Maybe this wasn't such a boring place after all...but still...something wasn't right...

Something seemed off…

* * *

><p>That night, after a quick and quiet dinner, Zim was determined to go back into the dream, back to his wonderland. So, sneaking in a bit of cheddar cheese into his room, Zim quickly showered and dressed in his usual green polka-dotted pajamas, leaving some pieces of the cheddar on the floor by his bedroom door.<p>

"This should lure the mice in here," chuckled Zim, crawling back into bed and falling asleep with his robot doll, waiting and hoping that he would dream off into the wonderful wonderland that lay behind the little door.

Slowly but surely familiar sounds reached him and awakened him.

-Squeak- -squeak- -cheep- -squeak-

Zim smiled sitting up and staring at the door, there he could see a familiar mouse picking up a piece of cheddar and handing it off to a new creature, an adorable yellow chick with black button eyes. Picking the dairy product in its mouth the chick ran out the door the jumping mouse following after.

Leaping out of bed Zim followed the mice and chick down the stairs and into the living room where the door was cracked open, the mice and chick scrambling inside to the other world.

Zim quickly opened the door fully, smiling in happiness as he saw the colorful hallway only to frown when he smelled the odd odor from before.

Old…dusty…and slow.

But behind the odd smell was something that smelled more delicious… the smell of cooked oil and fresh fruit.

Zim followed the smell into the colorful hallway, smiling as he reached the other side and walked into what seemed to be the living room.

He could already hear his Other Mother humming a tune, it sounded so much like his real mother.

Walking down the hall and into the kitchen, Zim paused suddenly at seeing his Other Mother. He still wasn't used to the button eyes that were sowed into the Other Mother's face.

"welcome back, darling," she sang as she turned around, this time the Other mother was wearing a black and white polka-dot dress that came down to her knees, black high heeled shoes and a pink apron that covered her front. Apparently the Other Mother was cooking some omelets.

"Hi," greeted Zim rather shyly.

"so thoughtful of you to send this nice cheddar, Zim," hummed the Other Mother, grating some of the cheddar into a pan with a cooking omelet.

"Cheddar? Ooh! the mice bait," said Zim, eyeing the omelet rather hungrily.

"Would you go fetch your brother Viola?" asked the Other Mother, wiping her hands rather gracefully on her apron, "I bet he's hungry as a pumpkin by now."

"you mean my Other Brother," corrected Zim, lifting an invisible brow up at his Other Mother.

"you're _better_ brother, dear," said the Other Mother, "He's out in the garden."

Zim's antennae shot up in surprise, "But my parents don't have time to garden!" said Zim.

"Shush-shush!" said the Other Mother, popping a juicy strawberry into Zim's mouth with a 'plop.'

"MMMM!" Zim chewed on the strawberry, humming in glee at the amazing taste.

"go on," urged the Other Mother, patting Zim's head.

Shrugging Zim headed out the kitchen door and into the cool night air, chewing on the remainder of the delicious strawberry. "omnomnom" he mumbled.

Looking up, Zim gasped as he saw the night sky, full of stars and above a glowing full moon.

"Oh wow," sighed Zim, listening to the crickets chirp as he walked down the steps to the earth and headed towards the garden gates.

Unlike in the real world, where the garden was dead and grey, this garden seemed to be brimming with life, equipped with new non-rusty and non-creaky gates, a new golden bridge that proudly stood over a lovely manmade lake, with various fish and sprinklers that shoot out water in pretty patterns. The flowerbeds brimming with the most beautiful plants, daises, forget-me-nots, lilies, roses, pitcher plants with red and gold frogs with red button eyes that popped out whenever Zim walked by, causing him to laugh in surprise, bleeding hearts, pumpkins and pansies, each one glowing and growing right before Zim's eyes.

"This is amazing!" cried Zim, gasping as he saw golden humming birds flying around him, humming a tune and flying off to pollinate the flowers.

"Hey!" called a familiar voice, catching Zim's attention.

Riding on some sort of praying mantis like gardening machine was the Other Purple, waving at Zim as he planted and watered, thirty by thirty, lovely yellow flowers that bloomed soon after watering.

"I love your garden!" shouted Zim, giggling as the Other Purple adjusted the large yellow hat that lay on his head.

"Our garden, Zim!" corrected the Other Purple.

It was a funny sight, the Other Purple was still wearing the strange slippers and robe and was gardening. Actually gardening.

"Look out for the dragon snappers!" called the Other Purple, steering his machine toward Zim.

"Dragon wha-?" Zim's sentence was suddenly interrupted as "dragon snappers" appeared from the cobble stones beneath Zim, growing with dragon like yellow heads and tickling Zim rather mercilessly.

"Oh! no!"cried Zim, laughing uncontrollably "stop tickling me!"

Zim laughed on and fell onto the ground as the dragon snappers continued to tickle him, nipping lightly at his belly and feet.

"oh, brother in distress!" cried the Other Purple, picking up a strange horn-like flower and blowing on hit, causing it to blow up and cry out a trumpeting sound.

Zim finally gasped for air as the dragon snappers were cut off by a swoop of a mantis blade and neatly organized into a bouquet.

"tickle no more, you dragon snappers," laughed the Other Purple, picking up Zim by the hand and lifting him onto the machine.

"s-she says it's time for dinner, breakfast, food," sighed Zim rather awkwardly as he hung on to purple. "I can't believe you did this!" gasped Zim, looking around the garden once again.

"Mother said you'd like it. Boy, she knows you like the back of her hand," said the Other Purple, driving the machine back to the house as Zim laughed and enjoyed the ride.

* * *

><p>"Mmmm... So good," said Zim, taking a mouthful of omelet. Once he came back, the Other Purple put the dragon snappers in a vase and placed them in the middle of the wooden table that stood in the kitchen, just like at Zim's real home…almost.<p>

The Other Red ate quietly as the Other Purple stacked his plate with pancakes and powdered donuts humming "I love dinner, breakfast, food."

The other mother, unlike her family, once again ate nothing and her plate stayed clean and empty as she amused herself, feeding strawberries and blueberries to the dragon snappers with a cheerful smile on her face.

"Zim," said the Other Mother suddenly after feeding another dragon snapper "Mr. Rodriguez has invited you to see his pets perform after dinner."

"Really?" said Zim, his antennae perking up, "those know-it-all Dib said that it was all in 'Chicken Foot's' head. I knew he was wrong."

"well, everything's right in this world, kiddo," said the Other Red with a warm smile.

"your brothers and I will clean up while you and your _friends _head upstairs," said the Other Mother, getting up and picking up her empty plate.

"My friend?" asked Zim, quirking a brow as the Other Red got up and opened the kitchen door, revealing two familiar siblings dressed in their casual clothing and with black button eyes sowed into their smiling faces.

"Great," sighed Zim, "Another stalker and wannabe Goth."

"hello No-brains," greeted Zim, waving his hand slightly as he finished his omelet.

The two siblings didn't respond.

"Hello!" said Zim, waving again, slightly offended at the siblings' unintentional rudeness.

"I thought you'd like them more if they spoke a little less. So I fixed them," said the Other Mother with a smile, patting Zim's head rather lovingly.

"So they, can't talk at all?" asked Zim, pointing at the siblings, eyes wide.

"Nope," answered the Other Mother, picking up Zim's plate and putting it in the sink.

"Hmm. I like it!" said Zim, getting up to observe the Other Siblings.

"Now run along you three, and have fun!" urged the Other Mother, shooing them out the door with a kind smile.

Zim smirked as he heard Gir, his robot doll that was alive in this world cry out, "WAIT FOR MEEEE!" as he came running down the stairs and latching onto the Other Dib.

"Your head smells like a puppy!" cried Gir.

Zim only laughed.

This was a fun wonderland.

* * *

><p>Okay Everyone that's all I can really do right now, I hope this chapter was good and that you enjoyed it.<p>

Once again I apologize for making you all wait for so long! TT_TT

I will try to update more often, as well as to continue on with some of my other fictions.

Please leave a review and thank you so much for bearing with me thus far :D

Touch My Awesome Button

|  
>V<p> 


	8. Chapter 8 Jumping Chick and Mouse Circus

*tablefliprage*(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

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Hey everyone this is Sakiko of Soleana finally updating to you from my computer (ITS FIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIXED! :D)

So yeah, sorry for not updating as quickly as I wanted too. Im going through some problems right now, but yeah, I decided to update and bring some joy to you people in the meantime.

So yeah, Uhhhm, the Prodigy will be updated soon as well, the next chapter will have a twist where Zim finally discovers whats happening to his race about a year after he left his home, and the attachment he has to his new human family which have tought him and shown him the true sublime beauty of earth and emotion itself (being human). Then of course himself leading the revolution of the defects in a project which he calls 'the Prodigy' that will eventually lead up to the Prodigy part 2: Invaders** must** _DIE_.

So yeah, I hope that you guys have patience with me, I will update as much as I possibly can, and well yeah, I hope that you guys enjoy my work.

Well without any further delay... Jack if you please.

Jack: Ladies and Gentlemen...Behind the little door...chapter eight.

* * *

><p>"WAIT FOR MEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!" cried Gir, running down the stairs and keeping up with Zim and the Other Membranes.<p>

Zim laughed as Gir, latched onto Dib's head.

"Your head smells like a puppy!" cried Gir as Zim laughed.

The Other Gaz's shoulders bounced up and down as she pressed her hands to her stomach and her black button eyes gleamed with joy.

Funny.

Button's don't gleam with emotions do they?

Well.

Zim thought it was strange how the Other Membrane siblings moved. Zim guessed that the Other Gaz was meerly laughing at the annoyed expression on the Other Dib's face as he tried to pry Gir off his head.

"EEEEEE!" squealed Gir, flailing his arms.

Zim continued to laugh as he hopped down the steps, trying to encourage the others of following simply by moving ahead of them slightly.

The Other Dib finally freed himself of Gir and motioned for his sister to follow, who unlike the real Gaz, simply smiled warmly and followed the boys down the steps.

Zim stared as the Other Membrane siblings smiled equally and walked down the cobblestone path (in the real world it was plains stone and concrete) up the steps to Mr. Rodriguez's flat.

"You two are awfully cheerful, considering you can't say anything," said Zim, catching the Other Dib's attention, who simply quirked a brow at Zim.

"uhh, it didn't hurt, did it, when she...?" Zim's question was cut off when the Other Gaz suddenly started jumping and clapping her hands, pointing up at a strange glowing object flying around the garden.

"What the...?" It didn't take long for Zim to realize that it was a tiny glowing blue blimp, probably the size of an average American football.

Quickly the Other Dib, Zim and Gir ran up the stairs to meet with the blimp and with the Other Gaz.

Slowly a small circular window opened up, just above a small Mexican flag, and welcomed the small blimp in.

"WOW!" laughed Zim, knocking on Mr. Rodriguez's door.

Silence followed as the door stayed closed and the four visitors stared in anticipation.

Finally Gir decided to cry out, "CHICKIE FOOT!"

"WOOOOOOOOAH!" screamed Zim as the door suddenly spun, dragging the Other Membranes, Gir, and himself inside the Other Rodriguez's flat.

"WOAH!" cried Zim, landing on the hard wooden floors of the Other Rodriguez's flat. Shaking his head slightly, Zim finally looked around.

In the real world, everything in Mr. Rodriguez's flat was dark and filled with hay, smelling of strange foods, tobacco and that odd, sharp cheesy smell that Zim couldn't really tolerate or even name.

Here on the other hand, the room was slightly filled with blinking lights, with two rows of colorful red cannons with small pedals at the bottom, at the end of the room, Zim could see a Ferris-wheel housing popcorn with a lit up chicken on the top, and behind it a small red circus tent lit up and ready for a show.

"Cool," whispered Zim, getting up from the floor and walking onward towards the Ferris-wheel, giggling as he saw the lit up chicken.

It was actually an oven in the shape of a chicken. The device would pick at a piece of raw corn and swallow it, it would cluck and let the corn cook and pop in its oven like body and then 'poop' out some fresh pop corn into little paper bowls.

It was funny yet disturbing.

"It poopie corn!" giggled Gir madly, before eating the popcorn rapidly.

Zim laughed out loud and ate some of the 'poopie corn' as Gir called it, while beckoning the Other Gaz and Dib with a finger to eat the delicious snack.

It was even better than the ones people served at circuses and at the movies.

The Other Gaz quickly walked over and ate, smiling as she did so, while her brother lingered behind, curiously eyeing the little red canons. Cautiously he pressed stepped on a few of the pedals.

*POP*POP*POP*

"Look at you!" laughed Zim looking back at a now cotton candy covered Other Dib.

"Lady and gentlemen!" suddenly cried a familiar Spanish accented voice.

Zim instantly turned around dropping his popcorn in realization that the familiar voice might be the Other Mr. Rodriguez.

"For to tickle your eyes and ears!" announced The Other Mr. Rodriguez.

"Come on let's go!" said Zim, getting on his knees and crawling into the small lit up circus tent.

Gir and the Other Membrane siblings followed after, of course after Gir attacked the Other Dib once again, this time for some cotton candy.

"and making hearts to thump! I, Chewy Enrique Rodriguez, am introducing my astoundishing, stupendulous!"

Zim gasped at what he saw. In the tiny colorful circus ring stood a dozen small jumping mice and adorable yellow chicks in tiny red and gold marching band uniforms.

"And amazing Chick n' Mouse circus!"

As soon as The Other Rodriguez finished announcing, the music began and the tiny creatures stacked themselves upon each other into a formation

Z…I…M

"My name!" squealed Zim, antennae waving in excitement.

As the music continued, the mice and chicks danced and played their tiny instruments, singing as they did so.

_We have teeth and we have tails _

_We have tails we have eyes_

_We were here before you fell _

_You will be here when we **rise**_

"It's wonderful..." said Zim, rather unsurely, nervously munching on some cotton candy, the reality was, the song wasn't a pretty song, and it sounded eerily familiar. It sent shivers up his spine and pangs of queasy worry in his squeedly spooch. The cotton candy wasn't helping, although sweet and delicious it was still rather unsettling.

Finally the performance ended, and the Other Rodriguez finally showed himself.

He was in his Chicky Licky Chicken costume, unlike the real Rodriguez's suit, this one was clean and brand new, like the others he was clean, hair washed and combed back with large brown button eyes.

Zim, who didn't want to seem rude, cheered.

"Yahoo! that was great!" he sheepishly admitted, clapping along with the Other Membrane's and a hyperactive Gir.

"very, very thank you lady and gentlemen, all of you may call me Chicken foot!" said the Other Rodriguez, bowing and performing one last time for Zim and his new friends.

The mice and chicks quickly danced and climbed or crawled into the Other Rodriguez's chicken suit, until every last one disappeared.

"we loved it Chicken foot," said Zim clapping.

"It was so...so..uhhhhmmmmmm…DONUT!" Gir chirped, trailing off at the loss of a word.

"ah..." encouraged 'Chicken foot.'

"Amazing!" said Zim, finishing Gir's sentence.

"You are very welcome anytime you like," said 'Chicken foot,' taking another bow, "You and also your good friends there," he said with a smile.

"Adios, Zim."

* * *

><p>Zim was now once again in his Other Room, filled with the amazing toys, books and picture of his old friends back in Pontiac.<p>

The Other Membrane siblings smiled, well the Other Gaz smiled and did her version of laugh as the Other Dib half glared at the Other Purple, who quickly picked a cotton candy cone from his hair.

The Other Red looked rather worried (a detail Zim decided to ignore) as The Other Mother kissed Zim, and tucked him in to sleep, pressing her finger to her lips in order to silence the guests.

Gir snuggled next to Zim as the young irken smiled and drifted off to sleep.

Sometimes he believed that this creepy yet wonderful wonderland was actually too good to be true…but it had to be true…right?

* * *

><p>In the morning…Zim stretched and yawned opening his eyes, half hoping to actually wake up in the Other World.<p>

As much as it did creep him out, Zim did find the Other World interesting.

But as always Zim woke up to the Real Word, where things were grey and old.

A dissapointment.

Zim groaned angrily and quickly ran down the stairs to the living room.

Zim in all of his frustration pulled at the door, expecting to see the door open up to the colorful hallway with the slow smell, or at least to see the typical old brick wall…

But…this time…the door stayed shut.

Only one name ran through Zim's mind…

The name of his older brother Red.

"Merah," he hissed.

* * *

><p>Well you guys, this is a dissapointment because I wanted this chapter to be better, but yeah...<p>

writters block sucks.

well read and review!

REVIEW!

DO IT!


	9. Chapter 9 Opening the Door

Alright ladies and gentlemen this is an update.

YAY right? anyways I know that I said I _was_ going to update the Prodigy, but the thing is, my work has gotten in the way and well the only thing I can update is this story for right now(also the fact that I have writers block has been preventing me to progress). I will **_try_** (keyword) to update faster this week, since I scored a vacation (woot woot!)

Sadly my computer broke AGAIN, because of a faulty update that ruined my hard drive, which means i have to fix it, which means all my memory will be lost and which means that all the drafts that I have for all my stories have been destroyed.

-sigh-

So yeah, uhhh, yeah I'm going to finish this chapter up and try updating everything else(from scratch). Or I will just finish this story and just update everything else.

Jack: also an announcement, this is a vote actually

(Warning: this was made to attract your attention since no one reads author's notes)

**WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE BETTER?**

**HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA**

**OR**

**XIOLIN SHOWDOWN MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA?**

**Please vote!**

Jack: please take your pick, we've been arguing about this for 3 months already.

If you don't know what Xiaolin showdown or the Phantom of the Opera, then yeah just ask and I'll try to answer as quickly as possible. (Or you can Google it...faster)

Yours truly sakiko of soleana

* * *

><p>Chapter 9 Opening the door.<p>

Zim, growled angrily as he trotted back upstairs to his room.

"Zim! It's _six in the morning_, go back to bed!" shouted Purple, his voice muffled by the bedroom door that led to his and Red's room.

Obviously, Red had gotten upset and smacked Purple with a pillow or something since the older irken had suddenly cried "OW!" Zim hissed again at the thought of his brother Red. How dare he take away his fun. How dare he lock the door.

That wonderland. Sure something about it was...off. Sure, there was something about it that made Zim uneasy, but still. It was a wonderland, a place where Zim could actually have fun rather than sit in a world filled with grey and fog.

How fun was that? Sitting in some stupid hundred year old house with nothing to do but reminisce about old friends and Michigan?

Yeah sure...fun.

Zim snorted angrily as he entered his room.

"Morning little me," he mumbled, waving at the still doll that held his appearance.

Looking at the clock he sighed. It was now 6:07 a.m.

Clicking his antennae together, Zim walked over to his mirror and sighed. His bruise was still there, now pale and yellowish in color.

"Well...It's six a.m. and I have nothing to do..." said Zim, jumping back on his bed and picking his look alike doll up from the book stacked chair.

"What do you think I should do little me?" asked Zim.

"Go back to sleep and dream," said Zim in a high pitched voice as he moved the dolls head. "I would be a horrible ventriloquist. Oh well, just leave it to Jeff Dunham." sighed Zim, lying back on his bed.

Soon enough, he was dreaming again. But it wasn't what he expected. The unfamiliar chill of the something old, something slow crept up Zim's spine as he slept.

He dreamed.

But it wasn't a dream of his glorious wonderland...it was a nightmare.

* * *

><p>Zim was dreaming that he was in the dark.<p>

Why he would dream of such a thing was beyond him.

Shouldn't he be dreaming about his home? Or his wonderland for that matter?

Those dreams were continuous weren't they? Or were they real?

Of course not that's stupid...dreams can't be real...can they?

Zim shook his head, trying to concentrate on seeing in the darkness that surrounded him. Once his sight adjusted he started looking around. He was in a... forest?

It looked familiar...no... It was familiar, he was on the path that led up to the old well.

"What am I doing out here?" mumbled Zim looking around, the moon wasn't out so there was hardly any light. Only the few glows of some fireflies in the jar Gir was holding and the lights from the pink palace below...Wait what?

"Gir?" called out Zim. Not too far away was Gir, hunched over a jar filled to the rim with glowing fireflies.

"Gir? Gir what are you doing here? Gir? Gir, what's wrong?" asked Zim as he approached the small robot. He looked terrified, shaking and breathing heavily as he clutched at the firefly jar for dear life.

"Are you okay?" asked Zim, looking down at the robot.

"I...I...I..." choked the robot, looking up at Zim through tear filled eyes. Could robots cry?

Before Zim could continue questioning the robot a soothing voice broke through the darkness. Something familiar...mimicking something that already existed...something...strange.

The Other Mother.

"Rosearik," cooed the voice of the Other Mother "come here, you little munchkin!"

Gir instantly ran down the path to the well, into the darkness as he dropped his jar of fireflies.

"No Gir! Wait...wait...WAIT!" cried Zim. He didn't want to be alone. Something about this place scared him. Something wasn't right.

Grabbing the jar, the only source of light, Zim ran after the small robot, ignoring the glowing eyes of the creatures that scurried in the dark.

Finally he found Gir, crying by the well. Approaching him, Zim felt something cold go up his spine.

Something was wrong.

"Are you okay?" asked Zim, looking down at the sobbing robot.

"I...I-I don...I don't know, _help_ me," sobbed Gir, looking up at Zim.

What the irken child saw terrified him to the core.

Gir, was covered in blood...and in his eyes were buttons, shining in the darkness.

"**GIR**!" screamed Zim as a hand appeared from the well, latching onto Gir dragging him into the well...into the dark.

"No! _NO!_" cried Gir.

Zim panicked as he suddenly felt something grab onto him. Glowing eyes and small yellowing teeth glistening in the dark.

Laughter. _Her_ laughter.

"_Wake up...WAKE UP_!" said a voice.

And then...

Silence.

* * *

><p>Zim gasped as he opened his eyes feeling someone's hand shaking his shoulder.<p>

"Come on Zim, get up, Red's going to buy your uniforms today, comedown and get breakfast," sighed Purple, walking out of Zim's room.

Something was up...

But Zim ignored the feeling, and got out of bed, hoping to see the reason behind locking the door...and of course...if dreams were truly dreams, or if could be real.

Quickly Zim dressed up, putting on a simple blue t-shirt that read 'Stop Making Babies!' and some black skinny jeans while rushing down stairs to meet his brothers.

But Zim ignored the feeling, and got out of bed, hoping to see the reason behind locking the door...and of course...if dreams were truly dreams, or if could be real.

So far...the best thing to do is to ignore the nightmare, and keep hoping for the dram.

* * *

><p>"There were garden squash like balloon animals and snapdragons. Oh, and upstairs, I saw a real mouse circus! Not pretend like the crazy man's in our house," explained Zim as Red parked the car in front of a store in down town, where two people were dressed up. A small man with a ukulele was dressed as William Shakespeare while a tall thin man was dressed as the great bards character Hamlet.<p>

Ash-town was known for its knowledge on the great bard and literature in general...but what kind of an idiot has a ukulele with him when he's dressed up as Shakespeare?

Oh well, that didn't matter right now. What mattered was the shop.

The Gardening and Furniture Tools.

This name was well known in small towns and home depots.

Gardening and Furniture was the company that payed his brothers to write about plants they've never grow or even think of. Probably the only thing that went through their minds was donuts, coffee and the fact that they always had a deadline, or the fact that the shop itself was having a winter sale in the middle of the wet summer, which meant that their catalog would probably on the shelves of every store within the week but in_ this_ store in about ohhhh...128 weeks?

Adults where stupid. How can somebody have a winter sale in the middle of summer? IT WAS SUMMER! People are stupid.

"You sure you won't come?" asked Purple, preparing the portfolio that contained the catalog. His antennae waving in worry as he tugged at the purple tie he was wearing.

"Oh don't fret, Viola, they'll love the new catalog," sighed Red, taking another gaze through their work and handing it back to Purple with a smirk.

"At least they'll love my chapters," Red chuckled before turning back to face Zim, "I did _not_ call him crazy Zim, he's drunk."

Purple sighed and fidgeted with his purple tie once again, getting out of the car and preparing to meet his new boss.

Of course Zim knew that you had to dress up nice in order to impress your boss, just as Purple was trying to do. He sure did look nice in his light purple long sleeve dress shirt and black dress pants...real business like.

"Well, I guess I'll see you around, you dizzy dreamer~" sang Purple, tugging on Zim's right antenna rather playfully through the car window.

"Bro, I'm not five anymore!" complained Zim, shaking his head in order to get the uncomfortable feeling out of him.

"You know you like it Mr. I dream commercials," snickered Purple

"HEY!" growled Zim upset, "the angry monkey show was just a onetime thing okay?"

"Later brothers, I'll see you guys after the meeting, oh and Merah,_ you owe me,_ " hissed Purple before walking off towards the store.

Snorting and adjusting his neck brace, Red waved his twin off, he and Zim snickering as Purple was suddenly startled by the mini William Shakespeare with a ukulele standing on top of a parking meter.

"He's such a dork," huffed Red as he drove out of the parking lot.

* * *

><p>Zim sighed as he stared at his brother.<p>

As usual Red was in his red and black color scheme, a red hoodie with the Halo Red Army logo and some black workout pants.

If it wasn't for the video game hoodie anyone would think that Red was a soccer mom.

They were in a small shop called Linden's Uniforms where time apparently skipped over the 'Presidents day blow out' banner was still up above the school uniforms.

All school uniforms where 1/2 price.

They should be zero priced by the way they looked. Boring old grey clothes suited for a school where girls would wear grey blazers and long brown skirts, boys would wear a grey suit with a brown tie.

Red was observing them, talking to the shop owner. They were talking about Zim's size, which was a bit of an embarrassing topic. Zim obviously was small for an irken, but Red decided to get Zim to try on one uniform and get the same size from there onward as well as one that was a little bigger in the hopes that Zim would grow into it.

After trying the uniform on, Zim sat at the edge of some stairs that led to the bathrooms and the second floor, flinching as a child suddenly came riding down the stairs on a spinney chair in a Richard III costume, waving his sword as he shouted-

"**_MY KINGDOM FOR A_**_ **HORSE!**_"

Only to be followed by a loud crash.

Zim laughed as he saw the angry parent that chased after the child. Suddenly something caught his attention. Day-Glo green gloves for sale priced at 24.99.

Zim smiled as he tried the gloves on, he liked them allot...maybe...

Zim quickly got an idea and looked for the spinney chair the child had. Poor thing was being dragged out the door by his ear, his father ranting about some punishment.

Zim quickly got on the chair and shifted his wait, forcing the chair to move. For about a minute Zim was going around Red, showing off the gloves that were covering his hands. Red, who was still picking out uniforms, barely glanced at Zim before he said, "put them back."

"But, Merah, the whole school's gonna wear boring grey clothes. No one will have these! I'll be unique-"

"Just like everyone else?" Said Red.

"No! I'll be the _almighty_ ZIM! Come on Merah, pleeeeeeeeeeeeease?" begged Zim, pouting slightly.

"Put them back," Red said, giving his younger sibling a serious look. He didn't really want to lose his patience right now.

"My other mother would get them," huffed Zim.

"Maybe she should buy all your clothes," said Red, picking up his phone and texting some friend of his. Zim growled and rode the spinney chair over to the display of wellington booths that were shaped like frogs and ducks and rabbits. Using the chair for its purpose, Zim sat and waited for his brother to finish while he wondered about the dream he had that morning.

Gir...The door... that's right... Red had locked the door.

"Zim?" called out Red.

Zim sighed and got up, putting the gloves back he started wandering towards his brother, "here," he mumbled.

"Oh, sheesh, there you where. Where'd you go?" asked Red, heading for the cashier.

"I was kidnapped by the alien people of Mars," said Zim, "they came down from outer space with ray guns, but I fooled them by wearing a wig and laughing in a foreign accent, and I escaped."

"That's racist," commented Red, "besides, we all know Marsonians don't exist...anymore."

"Isn't the term Martian?" asked the store manager, before gasping, "Good lord child. What happened to your cheek? That is a nasty bruise how'd you get that?"

Zim smiled innocently and said "Oh this? I got it trying to help my uncle Sizzlor move some boxes."

Liar.

Red was sure going to go through a guilt-trip now.

* * *

><p>"So what do you think is in the other apartment?" asked Zim in the car, looking out the window as rain poured again, making the world look greyer than ever.<p>

"I don't know," sighed Red, "deffinately not a family of Vasquez imposters, I guess it probably looks like our flat before we moved in. Empty rooms."

"So why'd you lock the door?" asked Zim, both curious and annoyed.

"Oh, I found some rat crap, and I thought you'd feel...safer," said Red, guilt running though him as he saw Zim's bruise once again. The one _he_ gave Zim nights ago.

"They're jumping mice, and cute little chicks, Merah, and the dreams aren't dangerous," sighed Zim "they're the most fun I've actually had since we've moved here."

"Your school might be fun," said Red.

"With those stupid uniforms? Right," replied Zim, snorting.

"Had to give it a try," said Red, shrugging his shoulders as he pulled into the drive way of the pink palace.

Once they were parked between the tree top and trunk, both quickly ran inside avoiding the rain

* * *

><p>After setting the uniforms down on a foldable chair Red walked over to the fridge and found a sad little tomato, ketchup, salsa, mustard, tortilla's and some lettuce.<p>

"How do you feel about a mustard, ketchup salsa wrap for lunch?" asked Red rather sheepishly.

"You're kidding?" said Zim, sitting down by the table.

"Had to go food shopping anyway," said Red with a shrug, smiling at his younger sibling, "Pur's planning something special."

"Grossgusting," mumbled Zim, shuttering. 'Something special' usually meant some kind of weird new recipe.

Red sighed as he looked at his younger brother. He was bored here in this house wasn't he? And the way Red treated him so far was not really fair.

"You wanna come along? You can pick out something you like," said Red, tugging at Zim's antennae playfully.

Zim flicked them away, annoyed at the fact that Merah had taken away his fun. 'Oh, like the gloves?' He thought.

"Look, Zim, if things go well today, I promise I'll make it up," said Red, trying to cheer his brother up.

"That's what you always say," mumbled Zim.

Red finally sighed, defeated. "Wont be long," he sighed, grabbing an umbrella and heading out the kitchen door to the porch and drive way.

Once Zim heard the engine start and fade in the distance, Zim smiled and got an idea.

'but I might be~" sang Zim, heading to the key drawer, opening it up, looking desperately for the old key that opened the little door in the living room.

It wasn't there, Red must have hidden-

Zim looked up at the one place his brother knew he wouldn't reach it...the hall frame.

Hanging on a little nail was the key. Smiling, Zim quickly made dash for the broom closet.

Zim got on a chair and and reached up with the broom.

Zim smiled triumphantly as he caught the key, climbing down from the chair he leaned the broom against the wall and headed for the living room.

The black old key felt colder than any of the others. Zim ignored the chill that ran up his spine again and stuck the key into the little doors keyhole. Zim looked around, and listened for his brother coming back, knowing that he was doing something wrong, but he heard nothing.

Little did he know that a pair of feline eyes were staring at him from outside the window. Nor did he hear the knowing purr emitting from the creatures throat.

Zim turned the key, it turned smoothly, with a satisfying _clunk._

Closing his eyes Zim hoped for the hallway to be there, the wonderland where things were full of color and fun. He ignored the musty smell, ignored the chill of his spine...He wanted the wonderland.

Suddenly feeling a soft breeze, Zim opened his eyes slowly, a smile making its way on his lips as he whispered.

"I knew it was real."

* * *

><p>Well people, you have your update! if you see grammar and spelling errors <em>forgive<em> me.

Please review.

Please, it motivates me to keep writing and don't forget.

(Warning: this was made to attract your attention since no one reads author's notes)

**WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE BETTER?**

**HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA **

**OR**

**XIOLIN SHOWDOWN MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA?**

**Please vote!**

And don't forget to review. Good night everybody!


	10. Chapter 10 Dream Come True

Hey everybody this is Sakiko of soleana updating to you.

Yay right? yeah okay, I'll just continue with the story for now

If you see grammar and spelling errors, forgive me, I had to reprogram my computer and I don't have microsoft word...Yet.

Disclaimer: I do not own invader Zim or Coraline.

**WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE BETTER?**

**HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA **

**OR**

**XIOLIN SHOWDOWN MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA?**

**Please vote!**

* * *

><p>Zim turned the key, it turned smoothly, with a satisfying <em>clunk.<em>

Closing his eyes Zim hoped for the hallway to be there, the wonderland where things were full of color and fun. He ignored the musty smell, ignored the chill of his spine...He wanted the wonderland.

Suddenly feeling a soft breeze, Zim opened his eyes slowly, a smile making its way on his lips as he whispered.

"I knew it was real."

* * *

><p>Zim eagerly crawled out of the small tunnel-like hall way, expecting to hear the Other Mother humming a tune while cooking some delicious food, or the scent of some delicious dessert.<p>

"Hello? Anyone home?" asked Zim, walking past the living room, stairs, and into the kitchen.

Zim gasped as he saw the kitchen table. Pizza, vort-dogs, cup-cakes, licky sticks and taquitos were placed on the tables surface along with a small decorated box with a note.

Zim smiled as he quickly read the note.

_Dearest Zim, Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitters have invited you downstairs after lunch. _

_I hope you like the new outfit I made you._

_Love, Mother._

Opening the box Zim gasped. Inside was an outfit made of dark pink cloth, egyptian cotton black leggings, leather gloves that fit perfectly and black leather boots.

"Oh... Sweet mother of Dookie," sighed Zim.

Best. Day. Ever.

* * *

><p>After piging out and putting on his new outfit, Zim walked out of the house to the front porch with a loud-<p>

*BUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUURP*

Patting his sqeedly spooch, Zim hopped down the porch staris, satisfied. Looking out at his wonderland, which was now proven to be real. Zim couldn't help but wonder. It was lunch time...why is it still night time here?

"I am ZIM!" called out Zim, ignoring the night.

"meow," said a smooth and polite voice, snapping Zim out of his fun.

"Huh?" Zim looked up at the Other Pink Palace's roof and saw a small black cat sitting by the roofs edge, staring down at him with it's familiar reddish-brown eyes.

"Hmm, the Membranes have a cat like you at home," said Zim looking up at the cat.

_"meow,"_ said the black cat, jumping of the roof and landing perfectly on a rail that led to the basment flat.

"Not the quiet Membranes, the ones that talk too much," continued Zim, impressed that the cat can land perfectly on such a narrow space and act so casually.

"you must be the other cat," Zim said.

"No," said the cat.

Zim jumped back with a yelp, eyes widening.

The cat simply purred and let out a hissing laugh. Its voice sounded like the voice at the back of Zim's head, the voice he thought in, only this voice was smooth and feminine, not at all like his own.

Which meant that this little feline was a girl.

"I'm not the other anything. I'm _me,_" said the cat, proudly lifting her head. "You people are spread all over the place. Cats, on the other hand, keep ourselves together. If you see what I mean."

Zim slowly regained his composture, "umm...I can see you don''t have button eyes, but if your the same cat, how can you talk?"

"I just can," purred the cat, proudly puffing out her chest.

"Cats don't talk at home, cat's meow and purr but they don't talk," said Zim.

"no?" said the Cat.

"Nope," said Zim.

"Well, your clearly the expert on these things," said the cat, walking over to the parking lot and climbing on the branches the roots of the old fallen tree. Zim couldn't help but wonder for a brief moment where the car was.

"Afterall," continued the cat as Zim followed her. "how would I know, I'm just a big fat WUSS PUSS!"

Zim's antennae suddenly stood up straight in complete surprise. This was no ordinary cat. This was the Membrane's cat, Mimi.

"Come back, please? I'm sorry I called you that. I really am," said Zim rather sheepishly.

Mimi only huffed.

"We...we could be friends you know," said Zim, trying to get on Mimi's good side.

"We _could_ be rare specimens of an exotic breed of African dancing elephants," said Mimi with an amused purr. "But we're not. At least, _I'm_ not."

"Mimi," groaned Zim.

Mimi yawned slowly, carefully, revealing a mouth and a tongue that was really pink. "Call me that if you like, but cats don't have names," purred Mimi.

"No?" asked Zim, surprised.

"No," said Mimi," Now, _you_ people have names. That's because you don't know who you are. We know who we are, so we don't need names."

It was official. Mimi was the Cheshire cat.

There was something irritating and self-centered about Mimi. As if she was, the only thing in any world or place that could possibly be of any imprtance.

Zim had to battle with himself over the idea of being rude to the cat, but Zim on the other hand wanted to befriend it.

"How'd you get here?" asked the young irken, finally.

"Like you did. I walked," said Mimi.

"That's not what I meant, how'd you get here?" asked Zim again.

"I've been coming here for a while,"said Mimi ignoring Zim's question and walking behind one of the thin tree roots, dissapearing rather that coming out the other side. Zim stared up at the spot where Mimi was standing in shock. How was that possible?

"H-how?" asked Zim.

"It's a game we play," purred Mimi, jumping out of a small hole from the trunk, surprising Zim. "She hates cats and tries to keep me out," she purred, stretching and sticking her head back into the hole, only to leave her tail showing.

"But she can't, of course,"purred Mimi, her head popping out of another whole on the top half of the fallen tree, which was behind him.

"I come and go as I please," said Mimi.

Zim, huffed in annoyance. This was the Cheshire cat of this world.

"What is this place?" asked Zim with a annoyed, yet surprised huff.

"It's here," said Mimi as a matter of factly.

" I can see that but-Wait. The Other Mother hates cats?" asked Zim, antennae shooting up again.

"Not like any _Mother_ I've ever known," said Mimi with another hissing laugh.

"what do you mean? she's amazing!" said Zim.

"You probably think this world is a dream come true, but you're _wrong_. The Other Dib told me so," said Mimi, crawling out of the hole, her body intact as she walked up the blooming tree branches and onto the roof once again.

"That's nonsense he cant talk," said Zim.

Mimi laughed once again. "Perhaps not to you," she purred. We cat's however have far supirior senses than any other animal. None so can recieve the honer of reciving the name Felidae."

Zim, rolled his eyes as Mimi once again puffed up her chest in pride.

" Besides, with our supirior senses we can see and smell and...- _SHH!_" Hissed Mimi, listening intently at something that wasnt there. "I hear something. Right over..." Abruptly, Mimi turned and dashed away on the roof with a meow.

Zim stared up at the roof.

He wondered if cats _could_ all talk where he came from and just chose not to, or whether they could only talk when they were 'here'- whatever _'here'_ was.

The Other world? 'Here'?

What did Mimi mean by that?

Zim's thoughts were suddenly interrupted by a noise, orchestra music, tuning in before a show would begin. Remembering Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitter's invitation Zim quickly ran down the brick steps to the basement flat's door. Around the door was a chain of blue and red lightbulbs that flashed on and off spelling out words, the lights chasing each other around the door. On and off, around and around, ASTOUNDING! Was followed by THEATRICAL! and then TRIUMPH!

The door was open, just slightl. Zim knocked on it but the door swung open on it's own, and Zim walked in.

He was in a dark room that smelled of dust and velvet. Then there was that odd chill up his spine again.

Feeling some sort of cloth on his face, Zim raised his hands and pushed the cloth apart, he eventually found himself standing in a poorly lit theater. Far away, at the edge of the room, was a high wooden stage, empty and bare, a dim spotlight shining onto it from high above.

The show hadn't started yet.

There were seats between Zim and the stage. Rows and rows of seats. Apparantly the theatre was pretty fancy, complete with a second and third floor (how that was possible, Zim did not know) and some VIP balconies, as well as a large orchestra pit where some of the music he heard before was coming from.

A light was suddenly cast upon Zim, temporarily blinding him and causing him to hiss in discomfort.

He heard shuffling noise. Blinking, Zim looked down at a large black Scottie dog. witha flashlight being carried in it's mouth, its muzzle grey with age.

"Hello," said Zim, still blinking.

The dog put the flashlight donw on the floor, and looked up at him. "Right. let's see your ticket," said the dog gruffly.

Zim jumped back. Dogs could talk too?

"Huh?" Zim asked, finally noticing the button eyes where the dog's eyes where supposed to be.

"I said, Ticket. I haven't got all day, you know. You can't watch the show without a ticket." said the dog.

"I-I don't have a ticket," said Zim, his statement sounding more like a question.

"Another one." said the dog gloomily. "Come with me, your going to have to sit upstairs- Oh?"

the dog looked back to see the Other Gaz waving rather cheerfuly at him.

"Nevermind, Zim. Come with me, I'll lead you to your seat, pardon my mistake," said the old scottie, picking up the flashlight again and motioning for Zim to follow him and the Other Gaz down to their assigned seat.

Zim followed after, his eyes quickly adjusting to the darkness and realizing that all the inhabitants of the seats wer dogs, waging their tails and panting in exightment for the show.

"'ere 'ou go," said the dog, it's words muffled by the flashlight in it's mouth. Apparantly Zim was to be seated in the front row.

"thank you," said Zim as he sat down next to the Other Dib, the Other Gaz sitting next to Zim so he could be in the middle.

The old scottie trotted off, back to the entrance.

"Hey guys, sorry I'm late," whispered Zim.

The Other Dib, simply smiled and shrugged as The Other Gaz only nodded in understanding.

"Hey where's Gir?" asked Zim.

"HERE I AM!" shouted Gir from behind Zim, earnign him some hissing shushes and angry 'be quiet's.

"Sowwy," said Gir, sitting back down.

There was a sudden silence, and the spot light on the stage brightened. From a small gap in the curtain, Zim could see some dogs running on little wheels in order to operate the scenes and curtains. They reminded Zim of hamsters.

Music suddenly started playing, curtains parting and scenes being set.

A sailors ship and the Other Mr. Rankle (with button eyes, well eye and eyepatch of course) playing the role as a handsome merman.

Pfft, more like old fart merman.

"he's practically naked!" whispered Gir.

Gir was right, the Other Mr. Rankle was shirtless and was only in fishy tailfins.

_"I'm known as the siren of all seven seas, the breaker of hearts by the bay. _

_So if you go swimin' with full breasted women, I might steal their weak heart's away!"_ sang Other , dissapearing behind the curtain as the new setting was being lowered.

The crowd clapped/yipped in apprechiation for the performance.

Now it was the Other Mrs. Bitter's turn and well-

"Oh my God!" gasped Zim.

The Other Mrs. Bitters was dressed as Venus, and with only jeweled seashells covering her boobs.

It was _**not**_ pretty.

_"A big-bottomed sea witch may bob through the waves and hope to lead sailers astray, but a true ocean goddess must fill out her bodice, to present an alluring display,"_ sang the Other Mrs. Bitters.

"This is going to give me nightmares," groaned Zim.

"_Beware of old oysters to large in the chest, lets banish them from the buffet, I'm far mor nutricious_," sang the Other Mr. Rankle disagreeing with his wife.

"You smell like the fishes!" complained Other Mrs. Bitters.

"did I hear a banshee?" asked Other Mr. Rankle.

"you're sea green with with envy!" said Other Mrs. Bitters.

"this handsome merman-"

"No, I, birth of venus," cried Other Mrs. Bitters.

"_will send sailors swooning all day_" they both sang. Earning the barks/claps of the audience.

"Look out!" barked a voice.

"Oh no!" screeched the Other Mrs. Bitters as she toppled over, a scenery practically falling from the ceiling.

Apparantly a rope snapped.

The curtains quickly shut as the audience barked in worry. Zim of course couldn't bark but instead let his antennae twitch in worry.

Suddenly a small dog pushed a small bucket of water onto the center of the stage. From above the stage, Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitters walked to the edges of what seemed to be diving boards.

"I can't look," whimpered Gir.

"This is my favorite part,"whispered a dog.

"Ready to break a leg, Lucile?" asked the Other Mr. Rankle.

"our lives for the theatre, Slab," said Other Mrs. Bitters.

Soon enough as they jumped their faces and bodies split, faces opened making it seem as if their bodies where empty shells. Out of the old empty bodies jumped out two figures, quickly catching on to their individual trapezes and meeting in mid swing, showing themselves off the the audience.

"WOAH!" cried Zim, as the dogs barked and thumped their tails against their seats in aplause.

The new Other was young, handsome and pale, brunette, wearing green tights, and brown boots that went up to his knees, and yet being young, he still kept his eyepatch.

The new Other Mrs. Bitters was even more impressive. She was thin and pale, with flowers in her long yellow hair and pink tights hugging her youthful body as well as some pretty brown boots that made most of their way up her legs, and on her left ring finger was a large pearl ring.

A perfomance by the husband and his wife.

The two finally let go of each other and started to perform flips and swings on the trapeezes, swinging around the whole theatre as they recited a passage from William Shakespeare's Hamlet.

_"what a peice of work is man_

_how noble in reason_

_how infinate in faculty is form and moving how express and admirable!_

_in action like an angel._

_In comprehension, how like a god!"_

Zim suddenly gasped and yelped as the Other practically plucked him out of his seat and started fliping the young irken in the air.

_"the **beauty **of the world._

_The parragon of animals!"_

"yeah!" shouted Zim as he held on to the Other , laughing as the man threw him high up into the air.

Zim finally reached the high point of the throw, stopping only for a few seconds infront of a balcony on the third flor. A scottie quickly licked his cheek, causing the irken to smile rather uncomfortably as he started to fall.

Looking down, Zim realized. No one was there to catch him.

The Other and Mrs. Bitters had already fallen into the bucket full of water. How that was possible Zim didn't know, but the important thing was.

NO ONE WAS GOING TO CATCH HIM.

"Craaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaap!" screamed Zim as he fell. Noticing a trapeeze Zim quickly made a grab for it, swinging on it a few times before his hands slipped.

"An applause for our star!" shouted the Other Mrs. Bitters, voice smooth and angelic as she caught the now hyperventalating irken.

The dogs barked in exightment.

Zim smiled as he heard the cheering barks.

"Well done! Well done!" praised the Other Mr. Rankle, voice youthful and thick, "Lucile and I proudly presend a new and exciting addendum to our theatrical exposition. Zim Vasquez!"

* * *

><p>Zim was now sitting down, back pressed against his seat as he tried to breathe a little more calmly. The Other Membranes payed little attention to him and continued to watch the rest of the show.<p>

The Other Mr. Rankle was now riding a one-wheeled bycicle while juggling balls.

The Other Mrs. Bitters was back stage looking for something.

"You okies Zim?" asked Gir, patting Zim on the head as the irken tried to relax.

"Yes, Gir. I'm fine," sighed Zim watching the Other jump off his unicycle and bowing.

"Here," Gir quickly placed a blooming rose into Zim's lap. Zim smiled as he sniffed at the rose. It smelled like chocolate.

"Thank you Gir," he mumbled.

"Is this a daggar I see before me?" asked the Other Mrs. Bitters holding up a large knife.

"Yes!" shouted the dogs,"It is!"

The Other Mrs. Bitters slaped her thigh, earning another set of woofs.

Zim chuckled as he heard the dogs yipping and panting. The Other Gaz seemed to be enjoying herself, but the Other Dib seemed to be rather nervous as well as Gir.

Zim suddenly remembered his dream about Gir and what Mimi had said about Dib and this wonderland, how what Zim thought was wrong.

The cold feeling suddenly returned causing him to shiver.

"Now hold still little one, a clap for the volunteer," Said the Other .

How could Zim be wrong? He was Zim, he was never wrong...right?

***_POP_***

Zim's head shot up, his attention to the stage.

Gir had been picked out as a volunteer for an act. the Other Mr. Rankle would blind fold the Other Mrs. Bitter's button eyes and she would aim for a balloon on the top of Gir's head.

The poor this was scared to death, its hands squeezed into tiny little fists.

Thank goodness the Other Mrs. Bitters didn't miss.

With a few barks and yips of approval, Gir greatfully sighed and waved, the Other Mr. Rankle handing him a small box of chocolates as the robot quickly jumped off the stage.

"you were very good," said the little scottie next to Gir's seat as the robot sat down.

At the moment the Other Mr. Rankle and Mrs. Bitters were juggling with huge wooden clubs.

Zim turned around in his seat to face Gir and the little scottie, not really caring if it was rude or not to do so.

"Are the chocolates good?" asked Zim.

Nodding, Gir stuffed a handful of chocolates into his mouth and handed one to Zim.

Zim couldn't really see what the chocolate was, so he had to take an experimental bite of it. It was coconut. Zim didn't really like coconut that much.

Zim's antennae swayed slightly as he saw the little scottie next to Gir staring at the chocolate in the robot's lap rather longingly.

"You want some chocolate?" asked Zim.

"Yes, please,"whispered the dog." Only not the tofee ones. They make me drool."

Zim gave the coconut filled chocolate to the dog, amused.

"Thank you," said the dog, waging it's tail.

"Your welcome," said Zim " I thought chocolate wasn't very good for dogs."

Zim remembered that Mrs. Bitters (the one from his world) had once told him about chocolate being poisonous to dogs.

"Maybe where you come from. Here, it's all we eat," said the dog, licking Gir's chocolate covered face.

The robot giggled as the dog licked away at his metalic chocolate covered cheeks.

"What's in a name?"asked the Other Mrs. Bitters, "That which we call a rose by any other name would smell as sweet."

A skit from Romeo and Juliet was being performed. The Other was sitting atop of a step ladder and the Other Mr. Rankle was standing at the bottom.

"Do you have anymore chocolate?" asked the dog.

Gir nodded and handed the dog another chocolate, gigling as the dog licked his fingers.

"What happens when they're done with this bit?" asked Zim.

"This part finishes soon, then they start folk dancing," responded the dog.

"How long does this go on for?" asked Zim.

"I know not how to tell thee who I am," said the Other Mr. Rankle to the Other Mrs. Bitters.

"Forever and always," whispered a few dogs in unsion, creeping the living daylights out of Zim.

Maybe Mimi was right...

* * *

><p>Okay folks, thats chapter ten! sorry for any spelling errors or grammar. Microsoft word is not available to me at the moment.<p>

Please read and review and VOTE!

**WHAT DO YOU THINK WILL BE BETTER?**

**HOW TO TRAIN YOUR DRAGON MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA **

**OR**

**XIOLIN SHOWDOWN MEETS PHANTOM OF THE OPERA?**

**Please vote! ( I need Ideas!)**

**I'M NOT KIDDING. _REVIEW._**

**It makes me Update faster.**


	11. Chapter 11 A Special Surprise

*tablefliprage*(╯°□°）╯︵ ┻━┻

That was fun.

Well ladies and gentlemen, I have decided to take this story to a whole new level. I'm not going to work on any of my other stories until this one is _finished_.

Please leave a review, it motivates me to **Update Faster.**

and Please remember that I do not own Coraline, or Invader Zim.

* * *

><p>Chapter 11 A Special Surprise<p>

It was getting late, and eventually The Other Red called Zim and his new friends out of the theater to go home. Normally Zim would argue and beg to stay longer, but his spooch felt heavy and twisted and he wasn't in the mood to make a fuss.

Yet, another part of him wanted to stay here, ignore the more frightening parts of this world and enjoy himself. After all, the other mother loved him. She said so all the time!

What if Mimi was right? What if this wonderland wasn't safe?

What happened to Alice eventually? The world around her would turn to chaos, yes? Her dream would become a nightmare. Then what?

Would she decide to stay mad and live in the wonderland, or would she wake up and go home to her ordinary boring life?

We all know the story.

But here's the difference. This is _Zim's_ story, and he wasn't Alice.

No...He was Zim.

"Zim?" asked the Other Red, poking one of his antenna. Snapping out of his thoughts, Zim turned to face him and lay his antennae back where the much taller Irken wouldn't be able to touch them. "Is something wrong?" asked the Other Red, his button eyes were piercing into Zim's own, and he couldn't help but feel that Red knew what he was thinking.

"No!" Zim said loudly, trying not to sound worried. "No. My uh, my bruise hurts, that's all. The show was fun!" He pumped his arm enthusiasticly. "Lots of singing! Lots of puppies! And... stuff."

The Other Red suddenly showed a twinge of guilt he patted Zim sadly on the head. For once, his button eyes seemed to look elsewhere, anywhere but at him. "Mother... can fix that," he said,"Actually she has a...surprise for you."

The Other Membranes suddenly looked at each other, their eyebrows furrowing and frowns were clear on their faces. Zim bit his lip as he looked at them, anxiety rising quickly. "Where's Gir?" He suddenly asked. His unease made him more conscious of his surroundings, and he realized he hadn't seen the little robot following them out.

"He must still be in his seat," said the Other Red.

"I-I'll get him," said Zim quickly as he ran back into the theater. It felt colder inside than it had before, but the smell of dog still dominated all others.

Since he had found the wonderland, Zim's concern for Gir had grown. After all, he was the plush toy that Zim had always felt safe sleeping with, and now he was a living being. So of course Zim would worry for the little robot, especially now that he sought the feeling of safety more than ever before.

"Gir!" whispered Zim, "Come on, Gir! It's time to go home!"

Gir, who was still in his seat, only looked up at Zim with a wide blue eyes and a tiny frown of fear and worry. Zim mistook it for sadness.

"Don't worry Gir," consoled Zim. "We'll come back later. Come on; the Other Mother has a surprise for us."

Gir's eyes widened even further as he gave the chocolates to the dog next to him and hopped out of his seat.

"Bye," said Zim to the dog.

"See you soon." It whispered.

Taking Gir's hand, Zim felt that familiar chill up his spine again.

"Don't think about it." He chided himself.

_'Mimi was wrong...This _is_ Wonderland.' _

* * *

><p>Zim's Other family and friends were patiently waiting for him by the door of the theater.<p>

"Hey, there,"The Other Purple greeted, waving down at Zim and Gir.

"Was it wonderful, dear?" the Other Mother had a sweet smile dancing on her lips. This time, the woman was dressed in a fancy black and blue polka dot dress that came up to her knees and lovely black high-heeled shoes. Zim smiled up at the Other Mother, remembering how his real mother would wear fancy things like that. For a split second, he actually missed his true mother, Miyuki and her glowing midnight eyes.

Scrapping the thought, Zim smiled and answered the Other Mother's question.

"It was so cool!" He yelled, his worries pushed to the back of his mind. "They swooped down and pulled me right out of my seat, I was flying through the air-" He let go of Gir's hand and followed his Other family up the porch steps of the Other Pink Palace. "It was amazing!...It was...It was magic."

"You do like it here, don't you, Zim?" asked the Other Mother. She gave him a concerned glance as if she wasn't sure, but Zim quickly nodded her worries away.

"Uh huh," He said as he opened the doors and stepped inside. Odd. It felt colder now than it had before. He waved at the Membranes. "Good night guys! Come Gir," and stepped farther into the building with his Other brothers. Other Mother stayed in the doorway.

Gir and the Membranes were still on the porch, looking guilty and miserable. The Other Mother made a smile gesture at them with her hands, pulling he lips back in what could have been a smile, if it didn't look so much like a snarl.

"Mother?" called The Other Purple from the kitchen.

"I'm coming, I'm coming! Come along..._Gir_," said the Other Mother in a sweet tone, although when she said the robot's name, it sounded like a growl.

Shivering, Gir quickly ran inside. The Other Mother followed and shut the door firmly behind her. If Zim had been there, listening, he might have heard the click as she locked it.

"What's wrong Gir?" asked Zim as the robot quickly ran passed the him. He never got an answer, for Gir dived into a nearby closet and closed the door on himself. Zim shrugged, dismissing it as more of the robots odd behavior.

"Zim, you could stay here forever if you want to" The Other Mother's voice floated to Zim's antennae. She smiled at him pleasantly at him, and he felt warm and safe.

"Really?" He asked, his antennae waving in curiosity and excitement. All his concerns had gone out like a light.

"Sure!" Other Mother seemed delighted. "We'll sing and play games, and I will cook your favorite meals." She put a hand on Zim's shoulder and led him to his Other brothers into the dining room, where they all stood around the table. "There's just one _tiny_ little thing we need to do."

"What's that?" asked Zim. He settled in his chair at the end of the table, magenta eyes glowing with excitement.

"Well, it's a surprise," said The Other Purple, sitting down at the table as well. The Other Red was standing next to him, his face unreadable.

The Other Mother cleared her throat. "Red, the surprise, please?" she asked sweetly. The Other Red reached under the table and took out a circular box, decorated in blues and purples, with a fancy red ribbon on the top and handed it carefully to the Other Mother, who took it and nodded in approval.

"For you," she said lovingly. "Our little doll," She handed the box to him with gentle hands, and Zim took it eagerly, and opened it.

Sitting inside on a China plate was a spool of black thread. Beside it was a long, silver needle and two large black buttons.

They were so round. So shiny and smooth with four little holes for thread. He stared at them for several seconds, not quite understanding, but then cold, hard realization hit him in the face, and he cried out in horror.

"Black is traditional," said The Other Mother. Zim gasped at her. This was a woman who had taken the image of his real mother. But she was _not_ his mother.

"But if you prefer pink." She continued, her blue button eyes turning pink for an instant, "Or vermillion," The other Purple's buttons changed, "or chartreuse..."The Other Mother's eyes changed again over her smile."Though you might make me jealous," she said in a humerous tone.

Horrified, Zim threw the box at the Other Mother, and she caught it gracefully, giving Zim a sad, questioning look.

"NO WAY!" Zim shouted. He stood up quickly, the chair made a loud scooting noise as it pushed it back. "YOU'RE NOT SEWING BUTTONS INTO MY EYES!"

"Oh, but we need a 'yes' if you want to stay here," The Other Mother slid the box toward him again, giving him and understanding smile "And when you do, we'll all be together as one big happy family, forever and always."

Zim pushed the box back forcefully. "No!" His antennae dropped and flattened against his head.

"Oh come on bro!" said the Other Purple."Its not so bad; it won't hurt," He picked up the needle and touched the tip with his finger. "So sharp you won't feel a thin- _OW_!" he cried out. The Other Mother had kicked him from underneath the table, and the needle dropped from his hands with a clatter on the table.

Zim knew that the Other Purple was lying, that when someone, especially a grown-up told him something wouldn't hurt, it almost _always_ did.

"There, now," said the Other Mother, picking up the box again and standing up, "It's your decision, darling."

Zim tensed as the Other Mother presented him with the present again, the needle, the spool, and the buttons all back in place on the china plate as if by magic.

"We... only want what's best for you," Her pretty button eyes were pleading and loving, and for a moment, all Zim wanted to do was to make her happy. Fortunately, that moment didn't last long.

"I-I'm going to bed. _Right now_!" He declared backing away from the button-eyed Irkens, heart hammering in his chest.

"Bed?" asked the Other Mother.

"Before dinner?" The Other Purple seemed surprised.

"I'm really, really tired. yeah," Zim said. He did a fake yawn and stretched his arms to demonstrate. "I just need to sleep on things."

"Well, of course you do, darling," said the Other Mother. Her plans had obviously taken a turn. "I'll be happy to tuck you in," she offered.

"NO!" Zim cried a little to quickly,"No...Er, no, thanks. You've done so much already," He backed away and turned to go up the stairs, only to be blocked by the Other Mother who appeared out of nowhere.

"Ah!" gasped Zim, backing up again. Wasn't she standing behind him just a second ago?

"You're welcome," said the Other Mother, smiling down at him. "And I..." the Other Mother grabbed the Other Purple and Red who were walking over to her, "_We,_" she corrected "aren't worried at all, dear. Soon you'll see things _our_ way," Her fingers brushed against Zim's right eye gently, and he closed it, all his muscles tensing. It was all he could do not to show fear.

"Good night," he said quickly with a fake smile. He went quietly up the stairs and looked back at his Other Family, who were watching him with large button eyes. Or at least he _thought_ they were looking at him.

Zim proceeded up the stairs until he was sure the Other Family couldn't see him anymore, and then he bolted for his bedroom door to his room.

"Mimi was right" Zim whispered to himself, fear sending shock waves through his little body with every heartbeat. "I have to get out of here."

"What's wrong, Zim?"asked the little toy dragonflies, circling over him. The greenish light of his room reflected eerily off their wings "Don't you wanna play?" Frightened, Zim grabbed them one by one and held them securely in his arms so they couldn't fly away.

"Yeah!" Said . "I wanna hug-a your face!" Zim grabbed him as well, and reached over for the next living toy.

"Get a grip, soldier! ack!" the giraffe-tank said as Zim grabbed the poor thing by it's neck.

A familiar voice rang out from the other side of the room and made Zim's antennae perk. "Hey! Where are your buttons, Loper?"

Zim glanced over at his desk and hissed in disgust. The 'friends' in the photo were marred now, with large black button eyes.

"You want to stay, don't cha?" asked Tak, pointing to her button eyes.

Skoodge mimicked her. "Come on, Zim!" He said. "Be cool!"

He stalked towards the table and lifted his claws. "I'm going home tonight, robots." He growled at them. "And I _won't_ be back," He plucked up the photo and put it with the rest of the toys into a toy box. All of them wiggled in confusion.

"Zim don't -"

He closed the lid and pushed the box against his bedroom door, along with a chair, his night desk and some books, all in hopes of keeping his Other Family from checking in on his in the middle of the night or something.

"Go to sleep." He told himself fearfully as he flicked the lights off and kicking off his boots, made a running dive for his bed. "Go to sleep," He pulled the covers over his head and hid there, his bottom lip trembling. He'd never yearned for his real mother this much before. All he wanted was to wrap his arms around her and bury his head in her stomach and cry. He'd never been so...so... _scared_.

"_T__iny_ _little thing we need to do." _

_"So sharp you won't feel a thing."_

_"Soon you'll see things _our_ way."_

Zim shuttered and took a deep, shaky breath as he pushed farther and farther into his sheets, burying himself as deeply as he could. But no matter what he did, the images of those smooth, round buttons didn't leave his mind. His heart wouldn't slow down; his breathing wouldn't calm.

He missed the little toy robot he slept with in the real world that would make him feel safe and loved.

Where was Gir?

* * *

><p>When Zim woke up that morning, he felt completely dislocated. He didn't know where he was; he was not entirely sure <em>who<em> he was. It was astonishing to him just how much of what he was could be tied to the bed that he woke up in, and how fragile that can be.

Funny.

Now in realization, Zim remembered.

"I am Zim, I am home...Only a nightmare," he sighed, relieved. He stretched his arms mightily and heaved a yawn as he pushed the covers away. It had taken him a long time to fall asleep, but now he felt refreshed. Huh. He must have slept in late.

"Merah! Viola!" he called with a relieved smile. But it quickly fell from his face and was replaced by a look of pure horror.

The green and pink light that seemed to emanate from nowhere, the rustling of the toys in the crowded toy box, the smell of sugar and smiles. This wasn't home.

"Oh God, I'm still here?" His eyes darted around his Other room as his squeedly spooch practically tied itself into knots. He pounded his tiny fist against the mattress, groaning in despair for a long time before he gathered enough courage to remove the heavy items he had used to block the door.

"_D__o not go through little door,"_ He remembered, it was something had said. _Of course_ he was still here. What a _fool_ he was. Right now, this world was real, and Zim had gone through.

"That's it." He growled, doing everything he could to force down fear and make anger and determination take its place. "I'm going home."

He opened the door and padded down the stairs to the kitchen. The carpet was soft on his bare feet, but the air was even colder than it had been last night, and frigidly still.

The Other Red sat on a stool in the kitchen looking forlornly at his hands, which he rested on his knees. But Zim, having already gathered up his manly toughness, couldn't mess it up by letting sympathy into the mix. "Where's the other Mother?" He angrily.

"Out," said the Other Red, looking tired and a little...different, although he did seem pleased to have someone to talk to. "She's fixing the doors; there are some...vermin problems," He paused a moment and looked at Zim. "That Invader Uniform suits you."

"What doors? What vermin?" asked Zim, ignoring the Other Red's compliments, "Are you talking about the mice? Those were the pests at home."

"No, the...mice, are _her_ friends." The Other Red raised his eyebrows and stared at something over Zim's shoulder, but as Zim turned to look, he saw nothing there. "This is the other kind, a black thing, with its tail held high,"

"You mean Mimi, the cat."

"That's the one,"confirmed the Other Red.

A thought hit Zim, and he glared at the Other Red, glad that they were eye level now that he was up on the stool. "What are _you_ doing here?" He asked.

The bigger Irken ignored the question and returned his gaze to his hands. "...She won't be gone often. When she comes back I'm sure she will demonstrate amazing hospitality to you. That way you won't even think of going back,"

Zim wouldn't let fear knot his spooch again. He flushed it all out with determination and squared his shoulders. "Then I'll go exploring and look for the other doors you were talking about." He tilted his head forwards and leered at the Other Red with magenta eyes. "I _will_ go home."

The Other Red sighed and shook his head miserably, letting despair creep into his voice. "No, Zim...There isn't anywhere but _here_. This is all _she_ made: the house, the grounds, and the people here. _She_ made it and waited. I love you, but you wont be-" a look of embarrassment and fear flickered across his face, and he put his hand on his lips.

He had said too much.

"You _love_ me, right?" demanded Zim. The anger he was feeling now was genuine, but it didn't seem to hold against the new despair raging about inside him. "Tell me, how do I get out? I'm _scared_ Red."

The Other Red placed a finger to his lips. _Silence._

Zim's antennae clicked together in annoyance.

"You don't love me at all!" He growled, and the Other Red winced. Zim jabbed a finger at Red's cheek, and then pointed at the yellowing bruise on his own. "If you really did, you'd compensate what the real Red did by telling me how leave! How to get _home_!"

The Other Red turned his gaze away and looked at the floor behind him. Face etched with guilt and fear. Zim snorted and left him alone on the stool, padding to the living room.

Only..

The doors where closed.

Zim pulled twisted and pulled on the knobs, rattling the doors and shaking them, in hopes that they would open. They held like a solid barrier, impenetrable to a the little Irken. he hissed in frustration.

_Ping...Ping...Ping..._

He knew those notes. It was the Other Purple's piano. He narrowed his eyes and followed the sound, hissing at everything that moved and balling his hands into fists. It made him feel stronger to growl and show his teeth, and it helped push his fear down.

_'Be brave, Zim' _he thought, pushing open the door to the study.

The Other Purple was playing a few notes on his piano, and Zim steeled himself. If the Other Red said too much out of love or a simple mistake, the Other Purple would do the same.

"Hey, you!" called Zim, catching the Other's attention. "Where's the Other Mother? I want to go home,"

"Out, and resting..." said Purple quietly. "Don't worry. All will be swell, soon as Mother's refreshed."

He turned towards Zim, and the little Irken gasped. He didn't resemble the real Purple at all. His face looked like bread dough that had begun to rise, smoothing out its bumps, cracks and depressions, and his eyes, once a bright lavender, had darkened until they barely contained a bluish hue.

"Her strength is our strength," said the Other Purple. Quick as a striking snake, one hand on the piano covered his mouth, while the other wagged a finger in his face. That thing was _scolding_ him. The Other Purple had said to much, just like the Other Red.

"Mustn't talk when Mother's not here." He said when it had released him and spun around to face the piano once again.

"If you won't even talk to me, I'm gonna find the Other Membranes and Gir." said Zim "They'll help me,"

"No point," Purples voice deepened and distorted as he faced Zim again, and he used his fingers to pull his face like rubber, into a hideously long frown. "Gir pulled a loooong face... that Mother didn't like."

Zim screamed as the piano's hands suddenly reached for the Other Purple and spun him around forcefully, causing the him to cry out in pain.

His heartbeat was fluttering like a trapped moth, and his antennae were standing straight up. His legs moved on their own, rushing for the door. But they didn't stop there, no, they ran out the front door, down the porch steps, and went bounding across the grounds.

Home. He wanted to go home. He wanted his real mother and real brothers, and, at this point, he wouldn't even mind a little of Purple's cooking.

There was no more denying it; this place was **not** a wonderland; it was a spider's web, and he had walked right into it.

But he was never going to see them ever again unless he found a way out. He was determined. One way or another he _had_ to escape. Someone would help him...

Right?

* * *

><p>Alrighty folks, that's all that I'm going to write for now.<p>

Please leave a review and a HUGE, HUGE, **HUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGE** _THANK_ _YOU_. To OhHowDelightfullyDreadful, the awesomest Irken I know. Actually helped me right this chapter.

YAY! A ROUND OF APLAUSE PLEASE FOR THE LOVELY IRKEN.

Zim: *clap,clap,clap*

Forgive the spelling errors and the grammar. I do not have spell check at the moment and that stinks.

Leave a review and thank you very much.

Zim: REVIEW!


	12. Chapter 12 Good Kitty

SO! Sorry for the Late Update, There is an explanation on the bottom.

Forgive my misspellings and for any grammar errors. I have no Auto correct.

I do not own Invader Zim or Coraline thank you very freaking much.

Enjoy the latest chapter.

* * *

><p>Chapter 12 Good Kitty<p>

Zim ran, ran as far away from the Other Purple as he could.

His heartbeat was fluttering like a trapped moth, and his antennae were standing straight up. His legs moved on their own, rushing for the door. But they didn't stop there, no, they ran out the front door, down the porch steps, and went bounding across the grounds.

Home. He wanted to go home. He wanted his real mother and real brothers, and, at this point, he wouldn't even mind a little of Purple's cooking.

There was no more denying it; this place was not a wonderland; it was a spider's web, and he had walked right into it.

But he was never going to see them ever again unless he found a way out. He was determined. One way or another he had to escape. Someone would help him...

Right?

Zim shook his head, trying desperately to keep all the negative thoughts out of his mind.

Zim's running eventually slowed into a jog and then finally a walk as he passed the fully blooming and fruit-bearing apple trees that in the real world would be dead and dry. Zim knew where he was going. The only place that probably felt safe at the moment, the old well where he met the Membrane's and Mimi for the first time.

Zim lowered his antennae and took a deep breath, trying to calm his nerves until he felt something furry pushing itself against his leg in one smooth, insinuating motion. Zim jumped, then breathed a sigh of relief when he saw who it was.

"Oh, it's you," he said, returning to a fast paced walk towards the direction of the old well.

The black creature followed Zim, keeping up at his pace and meowed.

"See?" it said, it's black tail twitching, "it wasn't so hard recognizing me, was it? No need for names."

"Well, what if I wanted to call you?" asked Zim, his antennas clicking together in annoyance.

The black creature wrinkled her nose and managed to look unimpressed. "calling cats," she confided, "tends to be a rather overrated activity. might as well call a whirlwind."

"what if it was dinnertime? wouldn't you like to know when to be called in?" said Zim with a scoff.

"Of course," said the cat, her tail twitching again, "but a simple cry of 'dinner!' would do nicely. See? No need for names."

Zim scoffed, "and yet you still answer to the name Mimi, contradictory isn't it?"

Mimi snorted and held her head high, "Only because it is easier for you. It means nothing to me," she said.

"sure it does," said Zim, rolling his eyes at the proud feline. Zim's antennae suddenly shot upward, observant.

At home once Zim had gone through the patch of trees, he saw nothing but the meadow, the mountains and the forest around the property. In this place, the woods didn't go as far, and the trees were becoming cruder and less treelike the farther he walked.

'I'm an explorer,' thought Zim, 'and I need all the ways out of here that I can get. Keep walking Zim, be brave.'

Mimi suddenly paused and meowed curiously at Zim.

"And what do you think you're doing?" she asked, confused.

"well, I'm getting out of here. That's what I'm doing," said Zim as if it was the most obvious thing in the world.

Mimi suddenly hissed and stopped walking, her tail tucking itself between her legs and her fur standing on end. Zim stopped to stare down at the feline as it twitched and looked around, eyes wide.

"Bad place," said Mimi "If you want to call it a place, which I don't. So again I ask, what are you doing?"

Zim's antennae clicked together again, this time due to nervousness and annoyance, "I'm exploring," he said before returning to his walk.

Mimi stayed quiet as she quickened her pace to keep up with the young Irken.

Soon enough the woods seemed to spread out slightly, and the trees became more approximate, like the idea of trees: a greyish-brown trunk below, a greenish splodge of something that might have been leaves.

Zim couldn't help but wonder if the tree's were sick or if his vision was failing him.

The forest eventually started to look like a child's doodle, as if he or she just wasn't interested in trees, or hadn't bothered with it because nobody would care for the picture.

Maybe it was because no one was expected to come out this far.

Still, Zim continued to walk forward, Mimi padding away by his heels.

"Huh?" said Zim, his eyes widening in wonder as he started walking into a mist. The strange thing about it was, it wasn't damp, like a normal fog or mist. It wasn't cold or warm. It just felt as if one were walking into nothing. it was just a pale nothingness, like a blank sheet of paper or an enormous, empty white room. It had no temperature, no smell, no texture and no taste.

"something's wrong," said Zim, thinking that for a moment that he had gone blind, but he was proven wrong due to the fact that he could see himself and Mimi as plain as day.

But there was no ground beneath them, just a misty, milky whiteness.

"S-Shouldn't the old well be here?" asked Zim, confused and worried.

"Nothing out here," said Mimi with a slight hiss," This is just the outside, the part of the place _she_ hasn't bothered to create. It's the empty part of this _world_. _She_ only made the things that _she_ knew would impress you."

"She?" asked Zim.

"The one who says she's your other mother," said Mimi with a snarl. Zim couldn't tell if she was annoyed at him or angry at the Other Mother.

"What _is_ she?" asked Zim, looking down at Mimi.

Mimi didn't answer, only continued to walk beside Zim through the pale mist.

"why?" asked Zim, frustrated, "why does she want me? why does she want me to stay here with her?"

Mimi fliped her tail, thinking. "_She_ want's something to love, I think...something that isn't... _her_," said Mimi, "Or maybe, she'd just love something to eat. It's hard to tell with creatures like that."

"Eat? that's ridiculous. Mothers don't eat their sons...right?" asked Zim, his body trembling with every step he took.

"I don't know," said Mimi "How do you taste?" she asked with a chuckle.

Zim glared down at Mimi, 'Stupid cat,' he thought.

"Ugh, it won't matter anyways. I'm getting out of here, the Other Red told me something, he said that the Other Mother was fixing all the gates and doors, to keep you out," said Zim.

Mimi only snorted,"_She_ may try," she said, obviously unimpressed. "Oh _she_may try, but there's ways in and ways out of this places like this that even _she_ doesn't know about."

"Then I'll leave through there," said Zim with a sigh of relief.

Mimi suddenly burst into a hissing laughter, "I don't think so. For your kind, there is only _one_ way in and out. I am sorry."

Zim growled. He knew what that "one" way was. The little door in the living room.

"So...did she _make_ this place?" asked Zim, looking around the milky whiteness. "Did she _make_ this _world_?"

"Made it, found it-what's the difference?" asked Mimi, "either way _she's_ had it a very long time."

Then something caught Zim's attention. A shape began to appear in front of them, something high, towering and dark.

"You were wrong, Mimi there is something out here," said Zim, quickening his pace.

The shape suddenly began to form into a dark house, which seemed to loom down at Zim and Mimi, out of the formless whiteness.

"Huh?" Zim gasped, "but how can you walk away from something and still come back to it?"

"Easy" said Mimi, "Walk around the world."

"Maybe I just got turned around in the mist," said Zim, shaking his head.

Mimi curled her tail into a question mark, and tipped her head to one side. " _you_ might have done," she said "_I _certainly would not."

"small world," said Zim still surprised as the world started forming around him. They were standing under a few trees from the fantastic garden now, the sound of crickets filling the air.

"It's big enough for _her_, " said Mimi, "Spiders' webs only have to be large enough to catch flies."

Zim shivered.

"Hang on," growled Mimi, her red eyes suddenly widening and her body crouching down. She gave a shiver and leap and before Zim could blink, Mimi had already captured a yellow circus chick. The poor thing was blowing on a trumpet desperately, wiggling and writhing.

"Stop! he's one of the circus chicks!" cried Zim angrily at Mimi.

"HUSH!Keep your voice down!" hissed Mimi, spitting the creature out and knocking the trumpet out of the chicks beak with her paw. Then with one hard swoop the feline had pinned the chick down. "I love this bit," Mimi purred," want to see me do that again?"

"NO!" hissed Zim angrily, "Why are you doing that? You're torturing it!"

"Mm," said Mimi, letting the chick go.

The chick stumbled, dazed for a few steps, then it began to run. With a blow of her paw, Mimi had knocked the chick into the air and caught it in her mouth.

"**Stop it**!" said Zim.

Mimi dropped the chick between her two front paws, "There are those," she said with a sigh, in tones as smooth as oiled silk, "who have suggested that the tendency of a cat to play with its prey is a merciful one- after all, it permits the occasional funny little running snack to escape, from time to time. How often does your dinner get to **escape**?"

Zim shivered at the hint that Mimi dropped.

"Well stop torturing or showing "mercy" to it! Let it go!" demanded Zim.

"Now _why_ would I do that?" asked Mimi, taking the chick into her mouth and biting into it's back with a horrible-

*CRUNCH*

Zim gasped as the chick let out a loud cry of pain, then hung limp. But what happened next, made Zim's blood run cold.

Slowly, still dangling from Mimi's mouth, the chick's body transformed, sand seeping out from it's beak and button eyes as the body grew long, twisted and furry.

Zim gasped again horrified as the chick suddenly turned into an ugly button eyed _rat_.

"The rats in this place are all spies for _her_. _She_ uses them as her eyes and hands..." said Mimi, putting the rat down by Zim's feet, "I don't like rats at the best of times, but this one, was sounding an alarm."

With that being said, and her point being made, Mimi picked up the rat and carried it off into the woods behind a tree.

Zim couldn't believe what he saw...His heart was racing and his body was trembling, but despite that Zim couldn't help but look into the woods in awe and mutter-

"_Good kitty._"

* * *

><p>Well ladies and gentlemen, I apologize again, I am doing this via McDonalds for my internet has shut down and is being a pain.<p>

Sorry for this chapter being so short and I am sorry for the earlier statement in the authors notes.

For those of you that have not read it. Don't worry about it.

Thank you for your patience.

REVIEW PLEASE!

thank you.

TOUCH MY AWESOME BUTTON

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	13. Chapter 13 The Mirror

Forgive my misspellings and for any grammar errors. I have no Auto correct.

I do not own Invader Zim or Coraline thank you very freaking much.

Enjoy the latest chapter.

* * *

><p>Chapter 13 The Mirror.<p>

_"Good Kitty"_ muttered Zim, his body shivering nervously while his antennae bobbed up and down. He couldn't believe what he just saw.

Every thing within the wonderland was a complete lie. Something the Other Mother created just to bring Zim to her, and for what?

Did she really love Zim? or did she want to _eat_ him?

The young Irken shook his head, trying to keep out that thought.

"Nothing's going to happen to you," said Zim to himself. "You'll get out of here, and everything's going to be fine."

Zim, after taking a few deep breaths, turned to look up at the Other Pink Palace. The house that at a time seemed interesting now seemed menacing and dangerous.

What once was a wonderland was now a complete horror.

The young irken shuddered as he walked up the porch steps to the door at the side of the house. Just as he was about to open the door, he froze. The doors to the living room were locked up tight. How was he going to get inside?

Zim's hand fell to his side as he started thinking. His antennae waved simultaneously as he picked up a cane from a small bin by the side of the door, holding a few canes and an umbrella. Once again he reached for the door. The knob was cold to the touch as he turned it and pushed the door in.

All was quiet, empty and deserted.

Dust motes hung in a beam of moonlight, and Zim's steps seemed loud and echoing.

Everything was cold and motionless.

Walking slowly down the hall and to the doors must have been the most uncomfortable, unbearable thing Zim had ever done. He was so scared, and so uncomfortable in the clothes the Other Mother gave him, he even thought of going back upstairs and putting on his own clothes.

But the risk of being caught was too high.

Zim gripped his cane tighter, as much as he didn't want to do this in the Other Mother's clothes, the faster he left this place, the better.

Lifting the cane up like a baseball bat, Zim began to hit the door knobs. After four tries the one of the knobs fell. Luckily it was the knob that held a lock, thinking fast Zim started to hit that part with the end of the cane. Soon enough there was a satisfying-

-CLANK-

The lock had broken. Sighing with relief Zim pulled on one of the doors, the large thing letting out a loud _creeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaak_.

Zim narrowed his eyes as the light showed the little door, slightly open in the darkness. Smiling triumphantly Zim started creeping towards it, as quietly as he could.

Sadly, before Zim could make it halfway through the living room, the armuar suddenly _walked_ over and blocked the door. Zim jumped back as it did so.

Slowly the lights started turning on, showing the living room, or what Zim thought was supposed to be the living room. All the furniture looked like glowing insects with huge button eyes, all of them moving and flapping their wings.

Zim shuddered as the couch, which looked like a huge caterpillar suddenly turned around revealing the Other Mother, smiling gently at Zim.

"Zim, my darling," she said," I thought we could play some games together this morning after breakfast, now that your back from your walk. What would you like to play? Hopscotch? Happy Families? Monopoly? Anything you want until lunch time."

Zim's antennae lowered and pressed themselves against his skull, "I don't want to play with you, and It's always night time here," he said.

The Other Mother shook her head, very slowly. "Sharper than a serpent's tooth," she said, snapping her fingers, " Is a son's ingratitude."

Zim gasped as he felt himself picked up by one of the insect-like chairs, the door closing behind him. Quickly the creature settled him in front of the Other Mother, the coffee table, which now resembled a light bug, standing in between them.

"Still," continued the Other Mother, smiling at what Zim thought was his horror, "They say even the proudest spirit can be broken with _love_."

Zim growled as the Other Mother's long fingers waggled and caressed the air.

"I dont have any plans to _love_ you," hissed Zim. "No matter what. You can't make me love you."

The Other Mother paused and cleared her throat, "Lets...talk about it," she sighed, picking up a shopping bag that was sitting under the coffee table. Slowly and carefully she took out a white rustling paper bag from inside of it.

"Of course, chocolate never hurts. Like one?" Offered the Other Mother.

Expecting chocolate, Zim sat up a little to peek into the bag. The bag was half filled with large shiny brown beetles, crawling over each other in efforts to get out of the bag.

Zim shivered in disgust.

"they're cocoa beetles, from Zanzibar," said the Other Mother.

"Uhhh, No thank you." said Zim.

"Suit yourself," said the Other Mother with a shrug. Carefully she picked out a large brown beetle,pulled off its legs, which she dropped, neatly into a big glass ashtray on the small table beside the sofa, and popped the beetle into her mouth. Crunching it happily.

"Yum!" she said, taking another, this time crunching on the head revealing what looked like caramel, but was actually the icky goo inside an insect.

"Ugh," gagged Zim, "You're sick. Sick and evil and weird."

The Other mother swallowed her third beetle, ignoring Zim, "Now, I think you are a little overexcited, Zim. Perhaps this afternoon we could do a little embroidery together, or some watercolor painting. Then dinner and then, if you have been good, you may play with the chicks and jumping mice a little before bed. and then, I shall read you a story and tuck you in, and kiss you good night."

The Other Mother's long fingeres fluttered gently like a tired butterfly. Zim shivered.

"No." he said sternly, glaring up at the Other Mother. "I _want_ _to_ _be_ with my **real** brothers and neighbors. I want you to let me go!"

The Other Mother sat on the caterpillar sofa, her mouth set in a line; her lips pursed. Slowly she popped another beetle into her mouth and then another., like someone with a bag of potato chips or chocolate-covered raisins. Her button eyes which at a moment had once been blue now turned black. Her antennae slowly started to twist and bend about, as if they were blowing in some wind that Zim could not touch or feel.

They stared at each other for over a minute. The Other Mother sighed again and folded the white paper bag carefully so no beetles could escape, and she placed it back in the shopping bag.

"Manners, Zim! Is _that_ any way to talk to your mother?" she growled, placing her hands on her hips.

"You aren't my _MOTHER_," said Zim angrily.

The Other Mother gasped, invisible brows suddenly shot up, along with her antennae before they lowered dangerously down to her neck and shoulders.

"_Apologize_," she said "at once, Zim."

Zim hissed and glared up at the Other Mother.

"**No**!" he said angrily.

"I'll give you until the count of three," said the Other Mother angrily.

Zim sat back, Ignoring the warning, arms crossed and continued to glare up at the monster impersonating his own mother Miyuki.

The other Mother stood up.

"One."

and up.

"Two."

and up.

Transforming instantly in front of Zim. Her body elongating, growing thin and out of proportion.

It was horrifying to the point where Zim let out a native swear.

"Oh, Dookie," he said.

"THREE!" shouted the Other Mother, taking old of Zim's antennae and hauling him off the insect chair.

"Ow!" cried Zim at the sudden pain shooting through him.

The Other Mother quickly reached into her dress pocket and pulled out, first a silver key which she frowned at and tossed into her shopping bag, then a tiny gold-colored key. She held it up triumphantly. "There we are," she said, marching out of the living room dragging Zim behind her by his antennas.

"what are you doing? Ow! that hurts!" cried Zim as the Other Mother Dragged him away from his only escape and down the hall.

"This is for you, Zim. For your own good. Because I love you. To teach you manners. Manners maykyth man, after all," growled the Other Mother.

"LET. ME. GO!" shouted Zim, writhing around in pain.

The Other Mother ignored his cries and pulled Zim up to the mirror at the end of the hall. Then she pusehed the tiny key into the fabric of the mirror, and she _twisted_ it.

Zim suddenly gasped as he noticed that the mirror only showed his reflection.

"You're not in the mirror!" shouted Zim, painfully.

"Mirrors," said The Other Mother in a displeased tone, "are never to be trusted. There we are."

The Mirror suddenly cleared, revealing a dark space behind it.

The Other Mother picked Zim up and pushed him into the dim space behind the mirror. A fragment of beetle sticking to her lower lip.

Zim hissed angrily as he looked up at the Other Mother.

The Other Mother suddenly pushed her upper half through the mirror as well, going through as if it were nothing but water.

"You may come out when you've learned some manners and when you've learned to be a _loving_ son." she said before disappearing behind the mirror, leaving Zim in the darkness. The glass turning into concrete.

Zim screamed in rage and clawed at the concrete, desperate to get out of whatever _she_ put him into.

Zim HATED this place. He wanted to get out of here. He had to go home.

* * *

><p>Well ladies and gentlemen, I apologize again, I am doing this via McDonalds for my internet has shut down and is being a pain.<p>

Sorry for this chapter being so short and for any spelling and grammar errors.

Hopefully I'll update again this week.

Thank you for your patience.

REVIEW PLEASE!

thank you.

TOUCH MY AWESOME BUTTON

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	14. Chapter 14 The Dark

Okay everyone; this is another Update to you. :)

Phew, I can't believe I'm halfway to finishing this story *sniff* good times. TT_TT

Zim: -_-

ALRIGHTY THEN! Here's the skinny, I do not own invader Zim or Coraline.

* * *

><p>Chapter 14 The Dark.<p>

Somewhere inside him Zim could feel a huge sob welling up. Shaking his head, he stopped it, before it came out and continued to pound on the wall desperately; trying desperately to find a way out.

Zim eventually gave up. His antennae drooping and his eyes squeezing shut.

'Don't panic,' he thought, 'just sing that song Pur, taught you… extend your hands...'

With a sigh, Zim stretched out his arms in order to touch the space in which he was imprisoned, and started to sing.

"_Little boxes on the hillside, little boxes made of ticky-tacky little boxes on the hillside, little boxes all the same." _Sang Zim, going around the room.

The room was twice the size of a walk in closet: big enough to hold an old bed, which had a large hole in the middle of the mattress. Obviously, this room was not meant for anyone, just things forgotten.

_"There's a pink one, and green one, and a blue one, and a yellow one. And they're all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same."_

A strange thing about this place was that one wall was made entirely of glass. Zim took off his gloves in order to feel the cold smoothness.

"_And the people in the houses all went to the university where they were put in boxes and they came out all the same. And there are doctors, and lawyers and business executives and they're all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same. And they all play on the golf course and drink their martini's dry, and they all have pretty children, and the children go to school."_

Zim went around the tiny room a second time, running his hands over every surface that he could reach, feeling for doorknobs or switches or concealed catches. Something, anything that could get him out, but he found nothing.

_"And the children go to summer camp and then to the university and they're all but into boxes and they all look just the same. Boys go into business and marry, and raise a family in boxes made of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same. There's a pink one, and green one, and a blue one, and a yellow one and they're all made out of ticky-tacky and they all look just the same."_ Sang Zim, finishing his little song as he returned to what he assumed was his starting point. Singing only made him miss his brothers more. Who cares if Red slapped him, If Pur ignored him. It was better than being inside this dark place.

'I miss them so much…I hate being here. I don't like being alone," thought Zim.

A spider scuttled over the back of his hand at this point and Zim choked back a shriek, but apart from the spider, he was completely alone in this place.

Or was he?

Behind him, Zim heard a sorrowful moan. A sound that quickly ran it's way up his spine and brought a chill into his heart.

"Who's there?" said Zim nervously, turning and keeping his back to the wall.

Reaching out once more, Zim touched something that felt like somebody's cheek and lips, small and cold. Before Zim could scream in horror, a voice whispered in his ear.

"Hush! and shush! Say nothing, for the beldam might be listening."

Zim said nothing, only pressed himself against the wall even more as he felt a cold hand touch his face, fingers running over it like a gentle beat of a moths wings.

Another voice, hesitant and so faint Zim wondered if he was imagining it, said, "Art thou- art thou _alive_?"

"Yes," whispered Zim, trying to calm down.

"Poor child," said the first voice.

"Who are you?" whispered Zim, his entire body shaking.

"Names, names, names," said another voice, all faraway and lost, "Don't know our names, but I 'member my true mommy."

"The names are the first to go," said a new voice.

"After the breath has gone, and the beating of the heart, we keep our memories longer than our names. I still keep pictures in my mind of my governess on some May morning, carrying my hoop and stick, and the morning sun behind her, and all the tulips bobbing in the breeze. But I have forgotten the name of my governess, and the tulips too." Said the second voice.

"I…I don't think tulips have names," said Zim, "They're just tulips I think."

"Perhaps," said the second voice, sadly. "But I have always thought that tulips must have had names. They were red, and orange and red, and red and orange and yellow, like the embers in the nursery fire of a winter's evening. I remember them."

The voice sounded so sad that Zim put out a hand to the place where the voice was coming from, and he found a cold hand, and he squeezed it tightly.

His eyes were beginning to adjust to the darkness, now Zim saw, or imagined he saw, three shapes, each as faint and pale as the moon in the daytime sky. They were the shapes of children about his own size, all of them with horrified, pained or confused expressions. The cold hand squeezed his hand back. "Thank you," said the voice.

"Are you a girl?" asked Zim, "Or a boy?"

There was a pause. "When I was small I wore skirts and my hair was long and curled," it said, doubtfully. "But now that you ask, it does seem to me that one day they took my skirts and gave me britches and cut my hair."

"'Tain't something we give mind to," said the first of the voices.

"A boy, perhaps, then," continued the one whose hand Zim was holding. "I believe I was once a boy." And it glowed a little more brightly in the darkness of the room behind the mirror.

"What happened to you all?" asked Zim "How'd you get here?"

There was a pause among the darkness before the three voices spoke at once.

"The beldam," they said.

"She spied on our lives, through the little doll's eyes," said the third voice.

"And saw that we weren't happy." Said the one that thought it was a boy.

"So she lured us away with treasures, and treats and games to play, gave all that we asked. Yet still we wanted more." Said the first of the voices.

"So we let her sow the buttons," hissed the three voices.

Suddenly something cold passed through Zim's body, and images of blood and children's horror passed through his eyes, screams of agony rang through his ears as he himself felt cold buttons cover his eyes. Cold and unloving.

"Told us that she loved us, but she left us here," said one of the voices. "She stole out hearts, and she stole our souls, and she ate up our lives. She left us here, and she forgot about us in the dark."

"How long have you been here?" asked Zim.

"So very long a time," said the first voice.

"Yes. Time beyond reckoning," said the third voice. Zim thought maybe this one could be a girl.

"I walked through the scullery door," said the voice of the one that thought it might be a boy, "and I found myself back in the parlor. But _she_ was waiting for me. She told me she was my other Mommy, but I never saw my true Mommy again."

"Flee!" said the very first of the voices- another girl, Zim fancied. "Flee, while there's still air in your lungs and blood in your veins and warmth in your heart. Flee while you still have your mind and soul."

"I tried, but she brought me here," said Zim.

"Ah, she'll keep you here while the days turn to dust and the leaves fall and the years pass one after the next like the tick-tick-ticking of a clock." Said the third voice.

"No," said Zim "she won't. She can't keep me in the dark forever. Not if she want's my life."

There was silence then in the room behind the mirror.

"Peradventure," said a voice in the darkness, the first girl, "If you could win your freedom from the beldam, you could also free our souls."

"You could find our eyes," said the second girl, in a hopeful voice.

"Has she taken them?" asked Zim, antennas twitching.

"Yes, and hidden them. That is why we could not leave here, when we died. She kept us, and she fed on us, until now we've nothing left of ourselves, only snake-skins and spider husks. Find our secret hearts, find our _eyes_."

"What will happen to you if I do?" asked Zim, his eyes closing, making the darkness that surrounded him seem darker.

The voices said nothing.

_Silence._

"What will happen, if she sows them in? What will she do to me?" asked Zim, antennae swaying in worry.

The pale figures pulsed faintly. Zim could imagine that they were nothing more than afterimages, like the glow left by a bright light in your eyes, after the lights go out.

"Agony, fear, and blood," whispered the third voice. "Then life vanishes."

Zim shivered as he remembered the images that he saw earlier. Could that have been memories of the ghost children?

"And…?" Zim couldn't finish his sentence. His blood ran cold at the mere thought of what came after the pain.

"It doth not hurt," whispered the boy's voice, very faintly; trying to comfort the scared Irken.

"She will take your life and all you are and all you care'st for, and she will leave you with nothing but mist and fog," Said the third voice, "She'll take your joy. And one day you'll awake and your heart and your soul will have gone. A husk you'll be, a wisp you'll be, and a thing no more than a dream on waking, or a memory of something forgotten."

"Hollow," whispered the first voice. "Hollow, hollow, hollow, hollow, _hollow_."

"You must flee," sighed a voice faintly.

"Can you tell me how to get out of this room?" asked Zim.

"If we knew we would tell you," said the voices in unison.

"Poor things," sighed Zim,"When she lets me out, why don't you three come with me?"

"we wish we could," they sighed to him, in their barely-there voices. "But she has our hearts in her keeping. Now we belong to the dark and to the empty places. The light would shrivel us, and _burn_."

Zim shivered again, his eyes snapping shut in thought he felt a ghost kiss his cheek, tenderly, and a small voice whisper into his ear, a voice so faint it was barely there at all, and a gentle wispy nothing of a voice so hushed that Zim could almost voice he was imagining it.

"save our souls, please!" begged the voice.

"Is there anyone, anyone at all other than you that will help me?" asked Zim.

"The one that got away," said the third voice, her tone rising.

"He came through the door, challenged her, and won," said the boy's voice.

"Then what happened?" asked Zim, alarmed. If someone won, they would be set free, right?

"She never keeps her promises…The one before me, as punishment serves under her," said the third voice, "Had I only listened to his warning, I would not be here…Please, Set him free too!"

"set us all free! Let us be saved!" said the voices together, pleading.

Zim felt his chest tighten, and tears starting to well. This place was a nightmare, this place was a hell.

"I'll…I'll try." Promised Zim, Closing his eyes before he felt something cold suddenly grab him from behind. Zim screamed into a cold hand as he felt his body being pulled through the mirror.

"NO!" screamed Zim, his voice muffled by the cold hand, "IT CAN'T **_END_** LIKE THIS! I WON'T END LIKE THIS!"

**_SET ME FREE!_**

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><p>Well ladies and gentlemen, you know the deal. Leave a review and an opinion.<p>

Sorry for any misspellings, and grammar.

The song in this chapter is called 'Little boxes' by Walk off the Earth

TOUCH MY AWESOME BUTTON

l

l

V


	15. Chapter 15 I'm Home

Hello!

If there are any spelling mistakes or grammar please **notify** me and I'll try to fix it ASAP.

Thank you and enjoy.

* * *

><p>Chapter 15 I'm Home.<p>

"I'll…I'll _try_," Promised Zim, Closing his eyes before he felt something cold suddenly grab him from behind. Zim screamed into a cold hand as he felt his body being pulled through the mirror.

"NO!" screamed Zim, his voice muffled by the cold hand, "IT CAN'T **_END_** LIKE THIS! I WON'T END LIKE THIS!"

**_SET ME FREE!_**

Zim struggled against the strong arms that held him down, he wiggled and kicked with all his might, trying to set himself free, trying to live.

"Let GO!" he hissed as he successfully kicked his captor in the stomach. The captor let out a pained grunt as Zim kicked him again and broke free of his hold. "Who are you?!" hissed Zim, pushing the captor up against the wall of the hallway with a sudden strength he didn't know he had. His captor was small and black, his face hidden by what Zim recognized was one of the Other Mother's oven mitts. Disgusted, Zim reached for the mask and pulled it off, revealing the last person he thought he would see.

"_Gir?!_"gasped Zim, stumbling back in complete shock and horror. It was Gir, his little robotic companion. What was once a cheerful and bright silver robot was now a twisted shadow, black, dented, rusted and dim. An old and forgotten toy...and on his face was the one thing that terrified Zim the most, his mouth was sewn shut with thick black string.

"How...how did..." Zim said, clutching the sides of his head in complete confusion and awe.

Gir only looked up at Zim with the saddest face, his sewn lips curling downwards into a frown as if saying, "I'm sorry."

"Oh Gir what-"

Zim gasped and tensed as he heard something move down the hall way, a couple of footsteps heading his way.

Rats? The Other Brothers? The Other Mother? What?

Zim tensed and let out a whimper as a shadowy figure started to show itself in the dim lighting, Zim once again gasped and stared in horror.

"Gaz...Dib..."

The Other Siblings nodded at the Irken, their faces pulled back by black string, revealing horrible crooked and painful smiles.

"Did...Did she _do_ this to you?" asked Zim, looking back at Gir. The small robot cried silently and nodded.

Having enough, Zim kneeled and picked at the strings on Gir's mouth,"This will hurt, just try to stay quiet,"said Zim, grunting a bit as he successfully broke one of the stitching's on the robot's mouth. Gir winced as slowly Zim undid the Other Mother's work.

"There,"sighed the Irken, the second he finished,"Please, tell me what's going on?"

The Other Dib and Other Gaz kneeled as well, pointing at their smiles in silent begs to have Zim free them from torture as well. Zim did so, wincing as the smiles were undone and the strings were pulled out.

So painful and horrifying. He didn't like seeing his friends like this...The wonderland was becoming a nightmare.

"I hope that feels beh..."

"Shh! Mother knows!" whispered Gir, his eyes wide with panic, "Come, quickly, you must flee!"

"Whuh..." Zim didn't protest as his friends dragged him down the hall, in the distance he could hear her, opening her bedroom door and heading for the stairs.

"Zim? Is that you?" she called.

Zim ran for the living room, his antennae on high alert as shivers crawled up his spine.

"She's angry, you must flee now! Before she captures you Zim!" hissed Gir, pushing the insect-like armoire that blocked the little door, the only means of escape. The Other Dib and Other Gaz joined in pushing in complete desperation until the armoire finally tipped over and fell with a loud crash.

Zim only stood frozen as the Other Mother called his name.

"Zim?!"

"Flee Zim! Flee where she can't find you!" hissed Gir, prying open the door, and revealing the hall. Zim gasped in horror once more as the hallway no longer glowed and swirled with colors. Now it was grey and filled with cobwebs, dusty and filled with old and broken toys.

"What are-"

"Lost toys of the children stolen before, mine included. Flee Zim. I can't resist her any longer, flee! Flee!" begged Gir, his voice sounding so unnatural to the way it was before. Now it sounded like a little boy, a lost little boy.

"Zim?!"

"Then Let's go!Come on, come with me or she'll hurt you again!" said Zim.

"We can't..." said Gir as the Other Dib pulled off his right glove revealing a hand of sand and ash. The Other Gaz blew on it and in an instant the sand and ash scattered, disappearing into the air, both the Other Siblings looking distraught as it did.

"No..." whispered Zim.

"Zim! How dare you disobey your mother!" shouted the Other Mother, who was already walking down the stairs and into the hall.

Cringing, Gir could no longer take it,"I'm sorry," he sighed as he pushed the Irken into the hallway and shut the door. Zim squealed in surprise as he was suddenly thrown in, "Wait!" he cried, turning back to the door, only to have it shut in his face.

"_Zim!_" cried the Other Mother, her angry voice muffled by the door, the hall way moving as her anger rose.

"I'm sorry," said Zim shaking his head and quickly crawling through the hallway, dodging old forgotten toys and pushing past cobwebs as he moved forward.

He felt sorry for his friends, for not being able to take them with him, for breaking his promise to the trapped children; but what they were asking for was too much for him alone, **he** _had_ to live. He had to go back to the world that was his. To Merah, to Viola, to Dib and to Gaz, to his real Mother...Home.

He had to get Home.

With another push, Zim crawled into his real living room and shut the door behind him with a loud slam, quickly he locked the door and took the key from its place. Zim hissed as he put the rusty thing into his pocket.

He was dirty, tired and terrified.

But he was in his real house, with his real family and that was all that mattered at the moment.

Zim's antennae rose once again as he heard the pitter-patter from the rain outside...I'm home...I'm home...It seemed to sing.

Zim inhaled and thought of his friends of his little victory, his little chest puffing out as he turned and cried out triumphantly

"**I'M HOME!**"

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><p>Well there you go you guys. I'm sorry this has taken so long. I really am but I guess I just got a little to distracted with my other stories, school, work, my family and a whole other stuff that has kept me busy.<p>

I'm sorry, but I will update this soon and I will finish this story!

Love you all for your support.

Love Sakiko of Soleana


	16. SOPA

**URGENT NEWS**

SOPA is back, that is right people, the bill that is threatening to take away our freedoms on the internet and beyond is BACK, and not only is it back, but it is trying to be passed quietly so nobody notices, SOPA will guarantee that anybody who streams a video, whether it be on youtube, a walkthrough for a video game, or a kid singing a song that is 'copyrighted' they will be treated as a felon, that is right, a FELON, do you understand me? YOU will be treated like the highest form of criminal for uploading a video game walkthrough on youtube, for singing a song on karaoke, hell, you could be arrested and treated as a felon for posting a screenshot...

Now, why am I telling you this? Because this is only just the beginning, how long until Fanfiction is being attacked, how long until a fanfiction writer is being carted off to a maximum state prison for writing a character from Naruto into their fanfic, or a character from Bleach, or any other good anime/cartoon/book/movie? how long until THAT crap starts happening? I assure you that if this passes, it will not be long, oh no, it will not be long at all, because once this passes, then ANYTHING goes, Fanfiction will be attacked for using canon characters in a fanon manner, authors will be arrested for writing a book whose main character has glasses, just like in another series, artists will be arrested and confined for using sapphire blue in the iris of one of their characters like another author. We CANNOT let this happen!

Don't believe me? Look at the links below, remove the spaces, see for yourself, and please, PLEASE spread the word and fight this assault on our freedoms, because this isn't just going to affect americans, oh no, it will affect EVERYBODY across the globe!

: / www . huffingtonpost 2013/08/07/unauthorized-streaming-felony_n_3720479 . html

: / www . washingtonpost blogs/the-switch/wp/2013/08/05/sopa-died-in-2012-b ut-obama-administration-wants-to-revive-part-of-it /

: / www . techdirt articles/20130805/12472124074/administration-cant- let-go-wants-to-bring-back-felony-streaming-provis ions-sopa . shtml

and the video which caused us to find out about this horrible thing...remove the spaces, and spread the word...

: / www . youtube watch?v=1fTt4K4Cae4

SPREAD THE WORD!


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